1
: suitable to one who lacks intelligence, sensitivity, or compassion : befitting a brute: such as
a
: cruel, cold-blooded
a brutal attack
c
: unpleasantly accurate and incisive
the brutal truth
d
: very bad or unpleasant
a brutal mistake
e
: grossly ruthless or unfeeling
a brutal slander
2
archaic
: typical of beasts : animal
thee, Serpent … to me so friendly grown above the rest of brutal kind—
John Milton
John MiltonSynonyms
Examples of brutal in a Sentence
Sailors sometimes faced brutal punishments like whipping.
a brutal struggle for survival in the wilderness
The writer describes the dangers of drugs with brutal honesty.
The movie is a brutal depiction of the war.
The traffic was brutal on the way to work.
I had a brutal headache this morning.
Recent Examples on the Web
The occasional injury is unavoidable in a tournament where the intensity is this high, but that doesn’t make the outcome any less brutal for Theodore and the Golden Knights.
4.
—Sean McIndoe, The Athletic, 17 Feb. 2025
Though the claims of uniquely brutal violence are mostly anecdotal, their shocking nature has become the cornerstone of such groups' outreach to Western leaders.
—Josh Hammer, Newsweek, 14 Feb. 2025
But the particularly brutal shootings have continued to captivate a wide audience.
—Sarah Holzmann, Smithsonian Magazine, 14 Feb. 2025
Yellowjackets: Synopsis, Cast Season three of Yellowjackets sees the survivors of a brutal plane crash fight to live in the wilderness during winter during the late ’90s, while their present-day counterparts are forced to confront the secrets from their past lives.
—Rudie Obias, The Hollywood Reporter, 14 Feb. 2025
See all Example Sentences for brutal 
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Sean McIndoe, The Athletic, 17 Feb. 2025
Though the claims of uniquely brutal violence are mostly anecdotal, their shocking nature has become the cornerstone of such groups' outreach to Western leaders.
—Josh Hammer, Newsweek, 14 Feb. 2025
But the particularly brutal shootings have continued to captivate a wide audience.
—Sarah Holzmann, Smithsonian Magazine, 14 Feb. 2025
Yellowjackets: Synopsis, Cast Season three of Yellowjackets sees the survivors of a brutal plane crash fight to live in the wilderness during winter during the late ’90s, while their present-day counterparts are forced to confront the secrets from their past lives.
—Rudie Obias, The Hollywood Reporter, 14 Feb. 2025
See all Example Sentences for brutal
Dictionary Entries Near brutal
Cite this Entry
“Brutal.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/brutal. Accessed 21 Feb. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share