# brutally

/ˈbɹutəɫi/ (US) · /bɹˈuːtəli/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/brutally
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 1. violently

adverb · CEFR B2

in a very violent, cruel, or physical way.

For teachers: in a manner characterized by extreme physical violence, cruelty, or lack of humanity.

- The peaceful protest was brutally broken up by the local police.
- The dictator's regime was known for brutally suppressing any form of political dissent through arbitrary arrests and physical intimidation.

Usage: Often used to describe physical attacks or the suppression of groups.

### 2. very honestly

adverb · CEFR B2

in a way that is direct and honest, even if it is unpleasant or hurts someone's feelings.

For teachers: with uncompromising directness; used to describe honesty that does not attempt to spare the listener's feelings.

- I need you to be brutally honest with me about my singing.
- The critic was brutally frank in her assessment of the play, noting that the lead actor seemed entirely disconnected from the script.

Usage: Commonly collocates with 'honest', 'frank', or 'truthful'.

### 3. extremely

adverb · CEFR C1 · Informal

used to emphasize that something is very difficult, cold, or intense.

For teachers: used as an intensifier to denote an extreme or punishing degree of a quality.

- It was a brutally cold morning, and the car wouldn't start.
- The marathon was held on a brutally hot day, forcing several elite runners to withdraw before reaching the halfway mark.

Teaching tip: In this sense, 'brutally' suggests the intensity is so high it feels like a physical attack.

## Examples

- He was brutally honest about my new haircut.
- The critic was brutally honest in her review, pointing out every single mistake the actors made during the play.
- While the feedback was brutally delivered, the team eventually realized that such unvarnished criticism was necessary to save the project from total failure.

---

From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.