BARBARITY Synonyms: 63 Similar and Opposite Words

barbarity

noun

bär-ˈber-ə-tē

Definition of barbarity

as in cruelty

disposition to willfully inflict pain and suffering on others more than one reluctant dental patient has been tempted to level the charge of barbarity against their dentist

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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 barbarity Thousands of children have been terrorized, detained, and many have been deported because of ICE’s unchecked barbarity. — Voice Of The People, New York Daily News, 26 Jan. 2026 Cathy escapes, the Jimmies' numbers are diminished, and the stomach-churning barbarity finally comes to an end. — Megan McCluskey, Time, 16 Jan. 2026 His observations about the barbarity of women’s beauty regimens aren’t exactly new, but they are acted out with enthusiasm and verve. — Bethy Squires, Vulture, 16 Jan. 2026 The Geneva Conventions, international treaties that aim to limit the barbarities of war, stipulate that those unable to take part in hostilities must be protected. — Anna Mulrine Grobe, Christian Science Monitor, 3 Dec. 2025 See All Example Sentences for barbarity

Recent Examples of Synonyms for barbarity

Noun

Law enforcement sources involved in the case told WJZ that the horse was being cared for by someone who is facing animal cruelty and abandonment charges in an unrelated case in West Virginia.

— Tara Lynch, CBS News, 25 Aug. 2026
The real problem is the culture, and when culture rewards cruelty, the damage spreads.

— Jodi Bondi Norgaard, Chicago Tribune, 24 Aug. 2026

Definition of cruelty

Noun

The film, which is playing Out of Competition on the Lido, charts the brutality of Spanish friar Padre Enciso over the population in the 17th century.

— Liz Shackleton, Deadline, 20 Aug. 2026
Centrist Democrats are not socialists, not revolutionaries, and not disposed to blame Zionist conspiracies for every trouble in American life, including police brutality and urban gentrification.

— David Frum, The Atlantic, 19 Aug. 2026

Definition of brutality

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barbarism

barbarity

barbarous

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“Barbarity.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/barbarity. Accessed 28 Aug. 2026.

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Synonyms of barbarity

noun

Example Sentences

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