1
as in brutal
having or showing the desire to inflict severe pain and suffering on others
brute attacks on innocent civilians
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in feral
having or showing the nature and appetites of a lower animal
a man of brute instinct, he deals with conflict the only way he knows how—by physical force
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in animal
one of the lower animals as distinguished from human beings
it is a fundamental sense of right and wrong that separates us from the brutes
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2
as in villain
a mean, evil, or unprincipled person
leave him alone, you brute!
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of brute
Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 4 Jan. 2026
Okoro scored 24 points through a brute insistence in getting to the rim.
—Julia Poe, Chicago Tribune, 1 Jan. 2026
Pankaj Mishra, Harpers Magazine, 19 Sep. 2025
Mihály is a brute who mistreats his mother.
—Adam Solomons, IndieWire, 28 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for brute
Adjective
This constraint forced a radically different design approach, prioritizing simplicity and efficiency over brute force.
—Noun
An extermination of the brutes in the Middle East, presided over by Obama’s successors, has been followed by a swift cancellation by Trumpian decree of the postracial age.
—Recent Examples of Synonyms for brute
Adjective
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Between wading or boating into choppy surf, baking in the hot sun, and getting doused in salty spray, the elements are brutal on the human body and the gear meant to withstand them.—
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Phạm Lockwood also spoke with Huan Nguyen, the sole survivor of a massacre of a South Vietnamese family in Saigon, a brutal attack allegedly orchestrated by Capt.—
Adjective
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In Lynne Ramsey's psychological thriller, Jennifer Lawrence is fantastic and feral as a young woman who moves into a country house with her partner (Robert Pattinson).—
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They are pinched into a bright, almost surgical nasality or burst loose into grand, sideways arcs, flaring out in a feral yelp.—
Noun
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Johnson said that the animal caused extensive damage to his home, costing tens of thousands of dollars.—
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Deputies arrested Sargent on Thursday on two felony animal-cruelty counts and one misdemeanor count.—
Noun
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Sorkin finds no heroes but also no villains.—
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But what Ole Miss has had to deal with is beyond the norm, with Kiffin in the villain’s role.—
Adjective
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This league is a savage league.—
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The fifth-place finisher also reveals the inspiration for her savage jury question to Savannah.—
Adjective
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The deeper problem is that Gaza has become a Hobbesian free-for-all, where life is likely to be nasty, brutish, and short for the unfortunate residents caught in the crossfire.—
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Confirmed are the shapeshifting Mystique, the brutish Omega Red, at least one giant mutant-hunting Sentinel, and military organization the Reavers.—
Noun
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David Bowie personally appears on the cover of 24 of his solo albums, depicting himself as a bowl-cut heartthrob, an androgynous blond, a space alien in human disguise, a cigarette-smoking lounge creature, a sideways pair of legs, and an oddly undersized boxer.—
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Not to mention the titular bugs, a swarm of blood-invading creatures discovered by her new lover, the mysterious drifter Peter Evans (Namir Smallwood).—
Noun
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In it, Oldham costumes up as a shaggy woodland monster, which—after a more nimble inhabitant seemingly swaps into the outfit—proceeds to engage a human in an elaborate dance routine.—
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That mentality has fueled a monster debut season for Porter County Conference leader Kouts (12-3, 4-1).—
Cite this Entry
“Brute.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/brute. Accessed 13 Jan. 2026.
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