brutal
- 01 B2 Upper Intermediate
extremely violent, cruel, or heartless.
characterised by extreme violence, ruthlessness, or a total lack of humanity.
Simple“The dictator was known for his brutal treatment of anyone who disagreed with him.”
In context“The documentary provided a brutal account of the conflict, refusing to look away from the suffering of the civilian population.”
- 02 B2 Upper Intermediate
very unpleasant, difficult, or severe.
extremely harsh, unrelenting, or physically demanding.
Simple“The runners struggled to finish the race in the brutal summer heat.”
In context“The winter was brutal, with record-breaking snowfall and temperatures that remained below freezing for several consecutive weeks.”
- 03 C1 Advanced
direct and honest in a way that might hurt someone's feelings.
direct and lacking any attempt to disguise or soften unpleasant truths.
Simple“I need you to be brutal and tell me if this book is actually good.”
In context“The critic's review was brutal, dismantling the director's artistic choices with clinical and unforgiving precision.”
Antonymstactfuldiplomatic - 04 C1 Advanced
used to describe music that is very fast, loud, and heavy.
describing extreme metal music characterised by high-speed percussion and dense, complex guitar riffs.
Simple“The band's new album features some of the most brutal drumming I have ever heard.”
In context“Fans of the genre praised the track for its brutal technicality and the sheer wall of sound created by the distorted guitars.”
“We are not given access to the architects of brutal welfare policy but we do meet the staff who enact it.”
“Can talented Taryn survive increasingly brutal challenges to bring the Starmaker machine down from the inside?”
From Medieval Latin brutalis (“savage, stupid”), from Latin brūtus (“dull, stupid”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.