Brutal — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

adjective /ˈbrü-tᵊl/ bru·tal

Meaning & Definition of Brutal

Brutal (adjective)

  1. suitable to one who lacks intelligence, sensitivity, or compassion, befitting a brute
  2. cruel, cold-blooded
  3. harsh, severe

Brutal (adjective) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. difficult to endure

    "brutal hard labor in the hot sun"

    similar: bitter, burdensome, cruel, excruciating, grievous, grim, hard, hardhanded, harsh, heavy, inhuman, murderous, onerous, oppressive, rough, rugged, searing, severe, stiff, tough, trying
    related: austere, bleak, comfortless, discomforting, forbidding, inhospitable, spartan, uncomfortable, biting, inclement, intemperate, wild, rigorous, strict, stringent, agonizing, heartbreaking, heartrending, painful, wretched, crushing, grinding, overwhelming, wearing, insufferable, insupportable, intolerable, unbearable, unendurable, harrowing, tortuous, bad, disagreeable, hostile, unfriendly, unpleasant
    opposite: easy, light, soft
    near: comfortable, cozy, luxurious, snug, agreeable, friendly, genial, hospitable, pleasant, peaceful, relaxing, reposeful, restful, bearable, endurable, painless, tolerable, balmy, calm, clement, gentle, mild, moderate, temperate

  2. having or showing the desire to inflict severe pain and suffering on others

    "a brutal tyrant who drove his country to revolt"

    similar: atrocious, barbaric, barbarous, brute, butcherly, cruel, fiendish, heartless, inhuman, inhumane, sadistic, savage, truculent, vicious, wanton, red in tooth and claw
    related: hard-hearted, ironhearted, merciless, pitiless, ruthless, stonyhearted, unfeeling, fell, ferocious, grim, bloodthirsty, cutthroat, murderous, sanguinary, sanguine, catty, despiteful, hateful, malevolent, malicious, malign, malignant, mean, nasty, spiteful, vindictive, draconian, draconic, hardhanded, harsh, heavy-handed, oppressive
    opposite: benign, benignant, compassionate, good-hearted, humane, kind, kindhearted, sympathetic, tenderhearted
    near: tender, warm, warmhearted, charitable, clement, lenient, merciful, pitying, pacific, peaceable, peaceful

  3. 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"

    similar: animalistic, beastly, bestial, brute, brutish, feral, ferine, subhuman, swinish
    related: animal, bodily, carnal, corporal, corporeal, fleshly, physical, sensual, barbaric, barbarous, cruel, heartless, inhumane, sadistic, savage, vicious, wanton, coarse, crass, crude, gross, ill-bred, lowbred, rude, uncouth, uncultivated, uncultured, unrefined, vulgar
    near: chivalrous, elevated, gallant, great, greathearted, high, high-minded, lofty, lordly, magnanimous, noble, sublime, angelic, spiritual, beneficent, benevolent, benignant, compassionate, good-hearted, kind, kindhearted, kindly, softhearted, tenderhearted, cultivated, cultured, genteel, polished, refined, well-bred

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Brutal

The most common words with a similar meaning to Brutal:

bitter, burdensome, cruel, excruciating, grievous, grim, hard, hardhanded, harsh, heavy, inhuman, murderous, onerous, oppressive, rough, rugged, searing, severe, stiff, tough, trying, atrocious, barbaric, barbarous, brute, butcherly, fiendish, heartless, inhumane, sadistic, savage, truculent, vicious, wanton, animalistic, beastly, bestial, brutish, feral, ferine

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Brutal

Words with the opposite meaning of Brutal:

easy, light, soft, benign, benignant, compassionate, good-hearted, humane, kind, kindhearted, sympathetic, tenderhearted

Related Words for Brutal

austere, bleak, comfortless, discomforting, forbidding, inhospitable, spartan, uncomfortable, biting, inclement, intemperate, wild, rigorous, strict, stringent, agonizing, heartbreaking, heartrending, painful, wretched, crushing, grinding, overwhelming, wearing, insufferable, insupportable, intolerable, unbearable, unendurable, harrowing

Near Antonyms of Brutal

comfortable, cozy, luxurious, snug, agreeable, friendly, genial, hospitable, pleasant, peaceful, relaxing, reposeful, restful, bearable, endurable, painless, tolerable, balmy, calm, clement, gentle, mild, moderate, temperate, tender, warm, warmhearted, charitable, lenient, merciful

Word Forms of Brutal

Derived words: brutally (adverb)

Origin & Etymology of Brutal

Middle English brutall "like an animal, bestial," borrowed from Middle French & Medieval Latin; Middle French, borrowed from Medieval Latin brūtālis "brutish, bestial," from brūtum "brute beast" (derivative of Latin brūtus "heavy, inert, devoid of intelligence or feeling, brutish") + Latin -ālis -al:1 brute:1

First known use: 15th century

Vocabulary Lists & Topics for Brutal

Frequently Asked Questions about Brutal

What does "Brutal" mean?

"Brutal" means suitable to one who lacks intelligence, sensitivity, or compassion, befitting a brute. As an adjective, it is defined as: suitable to one who lacks intelligence, sensitivity, or compassion, befitting a brute. It has 3 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Brutal"?

Other words for "Brutal" include bitter, burdensome, cruel, excruciating, grievous, grim, hard and hardhanded. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Brutal" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Brutal"?

There are 126 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Brutal". Common alternatives include bitter, burdensome, cruel, excruciating, grievous, grim, hard, hardhanded, harsh and heavy.

What is the opposite of "Brutal"?

Antonyms of "Brutal" include easy, light, soft, benign, benignant, compassionate, good-hearted and humane. Near antonyms include comfortable, cozy, luxurious and snug.

How do you use "Brutal" in a sentence?

Examples of "Brutal" in a sentence: "brutal hard labor in the hot sun"; "a brutal tyrant who drove his country to revolt"; "a coarse, brutal man who has no sense of what it means to be refined or sensitive or cultured".

Is "Brutal" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Brutal" is an adjective.

Is "Brutal" useful for IELTS, TOEFL, and other English exams?

As a C1-level word, "Brutal" is typical of Cambridge C1 Advanced (CAE), IELTS band 7.0–8.0, TOEFL iBT 95–113, PTE Academic 76–84, TOEIC Listening & Reading 945+. Advanced words like this are also useful for the GRE, SAT, GMAT, and LSAT.

How do you pronounce "Brutal"?

"Brutal" is pronounced /ˈbrü-tᵊl/ and divided into syllables as bru·tal.