BRUTISHNESS Synonyms: 36 Similar and Opposite Words

brutishness

noun

Definition of brutishness

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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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 brutishness Generations of agents, therefore, have had to walk a line between bookishness and brutishness. — Dan Piepenbring, Harpers Magazine, 24 Mar. 2026 But the brutishness has merely relocated, to places far more dangerous. — Ian Buruma, New Yorker, 23 Feb. 2026 Likewise, young Waller proves a revelation, capable of communicating Danny’s vulnerability and brutishness on the turn of a dime. — Leslie Felperin, HollywoodReporter, 7 Sep. 2025

Recent Examples of Synonyms for brutishness

brutality

Noun

Dupuy-Spencer had a reputation for clear-eyed renderings of both the tenderness and the brutality of our world; here, darker forces prevail.

— Dan Stahl, New Yorker, 23 Oct. 2026
However, Gates, who resigned in the wake of the 1992 LA Riots, was also viewed as leaving a legacy of police brutality and racial tension.

— Tom Wait, CBS News, 22 Oct. 2026

Definition of brutality

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brutishly

brutishness

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“Brutishness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/brutishness. Accessed 29 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of brutishness

noun

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