Brutal (Adjective)
Meaning 1
Punishingly harsh; "the brutal summer sun"; "a brutal winter".
Classification
All adjective clusters.
Synonyms
Meaning 2
Disagreeably direct and precise; "he spoke with brutal honesty".
Classification
All adjective clusters.
Examples
- The coach's brutal assessment of the team's performance left the players feeling demoralized.
- Her brutal honesty about my cooking skills was hard to take, but I appreciated her candor.
- The critic's brutal review of the movie was devastating to the director.
- The teacher's brutal grading policy meant that even small mistakes could result in a failing grade.
- The politician's brutal dismissal of his opponent's ideas sparked a heated debate.
Meaning 3
(of persons or their actions) able or disposed to inflict pain or suffering; "a barbarous crime"; "brutal beatings"; "cruel tortures"; "Stalin's roughshod treatment of the kulaks"; "a savage slap"; "vicious kicks".
Classification
All adjective clusters.
Examples
- The detective was investigating a brutal murder that had shaken the entire town to its core.
- The brutal regime of the dictator was notorious for its human rights abuses and oppression of dissidents.
- The victim's family was shocked by the brutal nature of the crime, which had left her with severe physical and emotional trauma.
- The brutal suppression of the student uprising had sparked widespread outrage and protests against the government.
- The athlete's brutal tackle had left his opponent lying on the ground, clutching his injured knee in agony.
Synonyms
Related Words
Meaning 4
Resembling a beast; showing lack of human sensibility; "beastly desires"; "a bestial nature"; "brute force"; "a dull and brutish man"; "bestial treatment of prisoners".
Classification
All adjective clusters.
Examples
- The brutal treatment of the prisoners by their captors was a clear violation of human rights.
- He had a brutal and rough exterior, but deep down he was a kind and caring person.
- The dictator's regime was characterized by its brutal suppression of dissent and opposition.
- The brutal fighting style of the mixed martial artist left his opponents battered and bruised.
- The poverty-stricken community was subject to brutal exploitation by the wealthy landowners who cared little for their welfare.