as in brute
having or showing the nature and appetites of a lower animal
as the months of recurrent combat dragged on, the daily existence of the soldiers became increasingly brutish
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Recent Examples of brutish
But don’t dismiss Ausar as a one-dimensional, brutish player.
—
Haley Sawyer, Oc Register, 24 Jan. 2026
Datebook Picks By contrast, the play’s notorious brute, her brother-in-law Stanley (Brad Koed), is very un-brutish in his mastery of social graces.
—Theater Critic, San Francisco Chronicle, 23 Jan. 2026
The deeper problem is that Gaza has become a Hobbesian free-for-all, where life is likely to be nasty, brutish, and short for the unfortunate residents caught in the crossfire.
—Bobby Ghosh, Time, 16 Oct. 2025
Confirmed are the shapeshifting Mystique, the brutish Omega Red, at least one giant mutant-hunting Sentinel, and military organization the Reavers.
—Nick Romano, Entertainment Weekly, 24 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for brutish
Haley Sawyer, Oc Register, 24 Jan. 2026
Datebook Picks By contrast, the play’s notorious brute, her brother-in-law Stanley (Brad Koed), is very un-brutish in his mastery of social graces.
—Theater Critic, San Francisco Chronicle, 23 Jan. 2026
The deeper problem is that Gaza has become a Hobbesian free-for-all, where life is likely to be nasty, brutish, and short for the unfortunate residents caught in the crossfire.
—Bobby Ghosh, Time, 16 Oct. 2025
Confirmed are the shapeshifting Mystique, the brutish Omega Red, at least one giant mutant-hunting Sentinel, and military organization the Reavers.
—Nick Romano, Entertainment Weekly, 24 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for brutish
Recent Examples of Synonyms for brutish
Adjective
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Whatever transformation occurs reflects the brute metamorphosis of character into symbol, not the fullness of realism or the vividness of fiction.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
2 Apr. 2026
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Jeannot is both a tactician and a juggernaut, blending technique with his brute strength.—
Fluto Shinzawa,
New York Times,
30 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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But the timing of this meltdown was brutal.—
Troy Renck,
Denver Post,
4 Apr. 2026
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Orlando City heads west after a two-week break, trying to snap out of a brutal early-season slump, but the Lions face a steep climb against a Los Angeles FC squad that hasn’t conceded a goal this year.—
Kyle Foley,
The Orlando Sentinel,
3 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Brutish.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/brutish. Accessed 6 Apr. 2026.
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