English Explanatory Dictionary

brutal

English dictionary entry

Meanings

adj
  1. Savagely violent, vicious, ruthless, or cruel, often in an unintelligent manner.
  2. Crude or unfeeling in manner or speech.
  3. Harsh; unrelenting.
  4. Disagreeably precise or penetrating.
  5. In extreme metal, to describe the speed of the music and the density of riffs.
  6. Direct and without attempt to disguise unpleasantness.

Pronunciation

/ˈbɹuː.təl/ LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-brutal.wav /ˈbɹu.təl/ [ˈbɹu.ɾəl] /ˈbɹʉː.təl/ [ˈbɹʉː.ɾəl]

Word forms

brutal more brutal most brutal

Etymology

From Medieval Latin brutalis (“savage, stupid”), from Latin brūtus (“dull, stupid”).

Synonyms

barbaric barbarous savage truculent bowelless brutal compassionless cruel demonic despiteful diabolic diabolical fell incessive inclement inhuman inhumane malicious merciless nasty nonhumane pitiless remorseless rotten ruthless sadistic spiteful unbenevolent unbenign unkind unmerciful unpitiful unpitying animalistic barbarian barbarious brutish Gothic Gothlike grim heathen heathenish heathenly heathenous incivil pagan tenebrose uncivil uncivilized uncouth uncultivated uncultured uplandish wolfish blunt brusque cold-blooded callous severe unyielding

Antonyms

gentle kind

Related words

brutality brutally brute brutish

Derived words

brutalisation brutalise brutalism Brutalist brutalitarian brutalize brutalness nonbrutal overbrutal
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