BRUTISH Synonyms: 69 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: How does the adjective 'brutish' differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of brutish are bestial , brutal , and feral . While all these words mean "characteristic of an animal in nature, action, or instinct," brutish stresses likeness to an animal in low intelligence, in base appetites, and in behavior based on instinct. // brutish stupidity

Q: In what contexts can 'bestial' take the place of 'brutish'?

In some situations, the words bestial and brutish are roughly equivalent. However, bestial suggests a state of degradation unworthy of humans and fit only for beasts. // bestial depravity

Q: When is 'brutal' a more appropriate choice than 'brutish'?

The meanings of brutal and brutish largely overlap; however, brutal applies to people, their acts, or their words and suggests a lack of intelligence, feeling, or humanity. // a senseless and brutal war

Q: When could 'feral' be used to replace 'brutish'?

The words feral and brutish can be used in similar contexts, but feral suggests the savagery or ferocity of wild animals. // the struggle to survive unleashed their feral impulses

brutish

adjective

ˈbrü-tish

Definition of brutish next

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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How does the adjective brutish differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of brutish are bestial, brutal, and feral. While all these words mean "characteristic of an animal in nature, action, or instinct," brutish stresses likeness to an animal in low intelligence, in base appetites, and in behavior based on instinct.

brutish stupidity

In what contexts can bestial take the place of brutish?

In some situations, the words bestial and brutish are roughly equivalent. However, bestial suggests a state of degradation unworthy of humans and fit only for beasts.

bestial depravity

When is brutal a more appropriate choice than brutish?

The meanings of brutal and brutish largely overlap; however, brutal applies to people, their acts, or their words and suggests a lack of intelligence, feeling, or humanity.

a senseless and brutal war

When could feral be used to replace brutish?

The words feral and brutish can be used in similar contexts, but feral suggests the savagery or ferocity of wild animals.

the struggle to survive unleashed their feral impulses

Example Sentences

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Recent Examples of brutish Lisa develops a crush on him, fueled mainly by her realization that Bergstrom’s sensitivity and love of learning fill needs that her often brutish and anti-intellectual dad isn’t equipped to handle. —

Jesse David Fox, Vulture, 17 Dec. 2024 That's making those races nasty, brutish and anything but short. —

Hans Nichols, Axios, 5 Dec. 2024 So just as Boule didn’t create this image [of the brutish Neanderthal] alone, it wasn’t destroyed by one scientist alone, but instead was more of a confluence of factors that happened all around the same time. —

Byrd Pinkerton, Vox, 7 Dec. 2018 Collier is a brutish guard who has had some Earl Campbell-esque bully-ball drives to the cup and can move his feet on defense. —

John Hollinger, The Athletic, 30 Dec. 2024 See all Example Sentences for brutish