as in brutality
the manifestation of the traits or the gratification of the appetites of a lower animal
a novel depicting the brutishness to which a group of schoolboys descend when they are stranded on a deserted island
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Recent Examples of brutishness
Likewise, young Waller proves a revelation, capable of communicating Danny’s vulnerability and brutishness on the turn of a dime.
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Leslie Felperin, HollywoodReporter, 7 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for brutishness
brutality
Noun
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For some residents, Good’s killing reopened deep wounds in a city still reckoning with the police murder of George Floyd, which occurred just blocks away in May 2020 and sparked nationwide protests against police brutality.—
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Captured on video, the incident would bring national tensions over police brutality to a head, igniting months of demonstrations around the country.—
Cite this Entry
“Brutishness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/brutishness. Accessed 13 Jan. 2026.
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