1
as in harsh
difficult to endure
brutal hard labor in the hot sun
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in cruel
having or showing the desire to inflict severe pain and suffering on others
a brutal tyrant who drove his country to revolt
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in brute
having or showing the nature and appetites of a lower animal
a coarse, brutal man who has no sense of what it means to be refined or sensitive or cultured
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of brutal
With six games remaining in the regular season — and five of them coming in a brutal seven-day span — the Knicks are suddenly getting healthy at a time when workload management becomes a daily dilemma.
—
Kristian Winfield, New York Daily News, 5 Apr. 2025
What followed was a shocking turn of events, as Cena, fresh from winning the Men's Elimination Chamber and securing a WrestleMania title shot against Rhodes, betrayed his long-standing heroic persona and launched a brutal attack on Rhodes.
—Newsweek Staff, MSNBC Newsweek, 4 Apr. 2025
Another 10,000 will be laid off in a brutal restructuring, bringing the total HHS workforce from 82,000 to 62,000.
—Beth Mole, ArsTechnica, 2 Apr. 2025
And often times that can yield lead to some brutal consequences.
—Jeryl Brunner, Forbes, 23 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for brutal
Kristian Winfield, New York Daily News, 5 Apr. 2025
What followed was a shocking turn of events, as Cena, fresh from winning the Men's Elimination Chamber and securing a WrestleMania title shot against Rhodes, betrayed his long-standing heroic persona and launched a brutal attack on Rhodes.
—Newsweek Staff, MSNBC Newsweek, 4 Apr. 2025
Another 10,000 will be laid off in a brutal restructuring, bringing the total HHS workforce from 82,000 to 62,000.
—Beth Mole, ArsTechnica, 2 Apr. 2025
And often times that can yield lead to some brutal consequences.
—Jeryl Brunner, Forbes, 23 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for brutal
Recent Examples of Synonyms for brutal
Adjective
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Donald Trump defended his harsh new tariffs on Saturday Night Live this week — and maybe took a swipe at last week’s musical guest, too.—
Dave Nemetz,
TVLine,
5 Apr. 2025
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When the father tried to explain himself, the women criticized him for being too harsh.—
Ashley Vega,
People.com,
4 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Everybody else has no choice, really, other than to bring a cruel, narcissistic far-right leader to power.—
Isaac Chotiner,
New Yorker,
10 Apr. 2025
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Jokes that didn’t land with the squad The kids in Bad Influence say the pranks were the most cruel.—
Olivia B. Waxman,
Time,
9 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Beyond that, Hamas’ only recourse to staying in power is brute force.—
TIME,
TIME,
23 Mar. 2025
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Rather than raids and brute force, the Trump administration must work with Congress on immigration reforms that benefit all Americans.—
Russel Honoré,
Newsweek,
5 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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That’s likely a tough pill to swallow for Gomez, who typically launches her albums at No. 1.—
Hugh McIntyre,
Forbes.com,
4 Apr. 2025
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After some tough matchups in the Trader Joe’s Elite Sweets Tournament, one classic emerged as the champion.—
Lauren Thomann,
Better Homes & Gardens,
4 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Softened by pride, Amber slinks away herself, albeit much more cutely than Gregory and accompanied by a vicious side-eye.—
Ile-Ife Okantah,
Vulture,
3 Apr. 2025
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Mikal, Tonya and Jason are vicious, screaming and hurling vile truths at one another.—
Murtada Elfadl,
Variety,
30 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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Plan Your Trip Charleston, South Carolina The Holy City may be blanketed in humidity in the height of summer, but Charlestonians have figured out all the best ways to deal with the oppressive air.—
Lydia Mansel,
Southern Living,
4 Apr. 2025
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Yet history provides no shortage of examples of human courage, even under the most oppressive circumstances.—
Josh Hammer,
MSNBC Newsweek,
1 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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As savage Arctic cold was getting ready to surge south across North America, vivid imagery based on data from weather models showed us what was going to happen.—
Tom Yulsman,
Discover Magazine,
27 Dec. 2022
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The 2023 grand marshal is former Arizona Democratic congresswoman Gabby Giffords, gravely wounded in a savage mass shooting in 2011 that also killed six people.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
27 Dec. 2022
Adjective
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Stir-frying is a method of quickly searing and cooking bite-size pieces of protein and vegetables in a splash of oil over high heat.—
Lynda Balslev,
Mercury News,
1 Apr. 2025
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Theron’s performance as the one-armed warrior Furiosa is one for the ages—stoic, searing and unbearably emotional beneath the surface.—
Travis Bean,
Forbes.com,
29 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Brutal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/brutal. Accessed 16 Apr. 2025.
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