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brutal

Meaning in simple English, pronunciation and examples

Pronunciation: US /ˈbruːtəl/

brutal means: Very cruel or violent, causing serious pain or suffering.

adjective

VIOLENT AND CRUELB2

Very cruel or violent, causing serious pain or suffering.

  • It was a brutal attack.
  • The prisoners suffered brutal treatment.
  • People fled the country to escape its brutal ruler.

Similar words: cruel, violent, vicious, savage

Opposites: gentle, kind

Common phrases: brutal attack, brutal murder, brutal treatment

HARSHLY DIRECTC1

Expressing an unpleasant truth very directly, without trying to make it sound kinder.

  • His honesty was brutal.
  • She gave a brutal assessment of my work.
  • The brutal truth is that we cannot afford this house.

Similar words: blunt, harsh, frank, unsparing

Opposites: tactful

Common phrases: brutal honesty, brutal truth, brutal assessment

Questions about brutal

What does brutal mean?

Very cruel or violent, causing serious pain or suffering.

What is brutal in other languages?

Türkçe: acımasız · Español: brutal · Français: brutal · Deutsch: brutal · Italiano: brutale · 日本語: 残酷な

How do you pronounce brutal?

It is pronounced /ˈbruːtəl/.

How do you use brutal in a sentence?

It was a brutal attack. The prisoners suffered brutal treatment.

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brutal in other languages

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