brute 1 of 2

adjective

ˈbrüt How to pronounce brute (audio)
Definition of brutenext
1
as in brutal
having or showing the desire to inflict severe pain and suffering on others brute attacks on innocent civilians

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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

brute

2 of 2

noun

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

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of brute
Adjective
But even the urge to keep jurors trained on the brute horror of the killings could get the better of the prosecution. — Eren Orbey, New Yorker, 4 Sep. 2026 Even the herculean efforts to acquire capabilities for the conflict with Iran largely amounted to a collection of waivers, special actions, and brute-force leadership. — Doug Beck, Foreign Affairs, 18 Aug. 2026
Noun
Even the consumer-level codes that encrypt your online banking are so hard to break that every computer on the planet working together would need longer than the age of the universe to brute-force them apart. — David M. Ewalt, Scientific American, 19 May 2026 Oscillating between a bumbling brute and an ironic ignoramus, Marvel Studios sees the God of Thunder more like the God of Blunder, kicking out the knees of the steady 2011 film in favour of single-digit IQ humour. — Sergio Pereira, Space.com, 6 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for brute
Recent Examples of Synonyms for brute
  1. brutal
  2. feral
  3. animal
  4. villain
  5. savage
  6. brutish
  7. creature
  8. monster
Adjective
  • Thirty-two years after Brown Simpson's brutal killing, her sister continues to alert people to the dangers of intimate partner violence.
    — Emily Shapiro, ABC News, 2 Oct. 2026
  • The Trojans face Washington at the Coliseum before a brutal stretch that includes Penn State, Indiana and Ohio State, with their playoff hopes at stake.
    — Ryan Kartje, Los Angeles Times, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of brutal
Adjective
  • Across the country, the species most frequently euthanized were feral swine, with about 132,000 deaths, and coyotes, with about 61,000, the data showed.
    — Sharon Bernstein, Sacbee.com, 7 Oct. 2026
  • Juxtapositions of seemingly unlike topics (plants and gender, feral dogs and nuclear weapons) give way to Venn diagrams, with Johnson dwelling in their overlapping middles.
    — Emily Watlington, ARTnews.com, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of feral
Noun
  • When Hanne, a staff member of a struggling animal rescue, unexpectedly becomes executor of a wealthy hunting family’s estate, a bitter battle over the inheritance erupts.
    — Annika Pham, Variety, 6 Oct. 2026
  • The Rock Art Trail is fun and educational, as is trying to identify what some of the animals depicted are.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of animal
Noun
  • Tell me more about William, the actual villain, and what his character represents.
    — Selome Hailu, Variety, 3 Oct. 2026
  • Despite Nas emerging as one of the season’s primary antagonists, Kelly doesn’t necessarily view him as a straightforward villain.
    — Lexi Carson, HollywoodReporter, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of villain
Adjective
  • The Indian pilot who fought off a savage attack by his copilot and helped prevent an apparent hijack of a Flydubai plane heading to Israel with more than 170 people on board is being hailed as a hero.
    — Rhea Mogul, CNN Money, 1 Oct. 2026
  • The Philadelphia Semiconductor Index weathered a savage 30% drawdown, has been choppily trendless for two months, then in recent days finally broke above its downtrend and surmounted the 50-day moving average.
    — Michael Santoli, CNBC, 22 Sep. 2026
Definition of savage
Adjective
  • Greengrass surrounds Garfield with actors who deliver bigger performances, like Jarvis as the brutish but shrewd Tyler, and Bell as the fervent Ball.
    — Katie Walsh, Los Angeles Times, 11 Sep. 2026
  • Anna, the film suggests, admires her husband warts and all, perhaps because there’s an enticing authenticity in all his inadequacies and brutish ways.
    — Carlos Aguilar, Variety, 5 Sep. 2026
Definition of brutish
Noun
  • Although a horrifying sea creature sits at the center of the show, this story is about a man desperate to cling to a decaying past, a grieving family and how greed can create monsters.
    — Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 8 Oct. 2026
  • Starting with a scene that feels real and looks real lets McKeown get away with what is otherwise a silly creature feature, elongated but never past the point of enjoyment.
    — Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of creature
Noun
  • The main three projects — The Mummy, The Loudest Voice and Unabomber — each involve monsters in various forms.
    — Brian Davids, HollywoodReporter, 3 Oct. 2026
  • The world has seen many hurricanes rapidly intensify in recent years, strengthening from relatively weak storms into destructive monsters in a matter of hours.
    — Chanh Kieu, Washington Post, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of monster

Browse Nearby Words

brutally
brute
brutes
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Cite this Entry

“Brute.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/brute. Accessed 9 Oct. 2026.

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