[Elamur Dictionary](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/english/brutal/)

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# brutal

adjective (brutal, more brutal, most brutal)

«brutal» in the English dictionary: everyday — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## Everyday

1. Brutal means very cruel and violent. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/B/brutal/#m1)
2. Brutal means very harsh, severe or unpleasant, as with weather or a test. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/B/brutal/#m2)
3. (informal) Brutal honesty or truth is said directly, even if it hurts. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/B/brutal/#m3)
4. (slang) Brutal can mean really bad or tough: «That maths test was brutal.» [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/B/brutal/#m4)

### In the lessons

In history lessons brutal describes cruel rulers, wars and punishments. In everyday talk children and teenagers use it for anything hard or unfair, like a long run or a strict teacher. In stories it tells the reader that a character or event is cruel. Phrases: a brutal attack, brutal honesty, brutally cold, a brutal winter.

### Examples

- The brutal king punished anyone who disagreed. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/B/brutal/#x1)
- The soldiers carried out a brutal attack on the village. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/B/brutal/#x2)
- The winter in Canada was brutal, with temperatures of minus thirty. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/B/brutal/#x3)
- (informal) That cross-country run was brutal! [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/B/brutal/#x4)
- With brutal honesty, my friend said my drawing looked like a potato. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/B/brutal/#x5)
- The wolf's brutal teeth tore the meat. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/B/brutal/#x6)
- It was a brutally hot day. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/B/brutal/#x7)
- Hook itched to do it, but it seemed too brutal. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/B/brutal/#x8)

### Note

Adverb brutally, noun brutality. Related: brute (a cruel or very strong person or animal). In formal writing use it for real cruelty; the «really hard» meaning is informal.

## On Mova

- [Trees and pragmatics of «brutal» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/B/brutal/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«brutal» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/brutal.html) on Mova free.