brutally

adverb

Definition of brutallynext
as in harshly
in a manner so as to cause loss or suffering the prisoners were treated brutally at the hands of the guards

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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 brutally The minors allegedly took Rehan to a secluded area where four people brutally stabbed him. — Samira Asma-Sadeque, PEOPLE, 19 Aug. 2026 After a prolonged siege and fighting, the British recaptured Delhi and brutally suppressed the rebellion. — Aishwarya Lakshmi, The Conversation, 18 Aug. 2026 Student crackdown Jiang’s rise to the top began amid the tumult of the 1989 Tiananmen Square democracy protests, which were brutally crushed by Chinese troops in what remains one of the most sensitive political taboos in mainland China. — Sylvie Zhuang, CNN Money, 17 Aug. 2026 He was brutally tortured before being assigned his painting duties. — ABC News, 16 Aug. 2026 The movement feels fluid but also brutally impactful when Wolvie lands claws-first on an unsuspecting enemy with a thud. — Jordan Moreau, Variety, 13 Aug. 2026 He was elevated to dictator to put the Republic back together—but he was brutally killed by members of the Senate in 44 bce. — Encyclopedia Britannica, 13 Aug. 2026 Itzkowitz is the eldest son of Albert Itzkowitz, who was brutally murdered in broad daylight at Kissena Park in Queens on the afternoon of May 18. — Simcha Itzkowitz, New York Daily News, 12 Aug. 2026 In just a few short weeks, his childish, naive world becomes brutally adult. — Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 11 Aug. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for brutally
  1. harshly
  2. severely
  3. oppressively
  4. hard
Adverb
  • Republican lawmakers have largely remained silent about the conditions on the Lincoln – not harshly criticizing the administration, but not defending it either.
    — Janet Loehrke, USA Today, 17 Aug. 2026
  • At the final stop, so to speak, before Antarctica, the weather is harshly volatile, and in the wilderness surrounding the few small cities and towns, civilization dwindles almost to nothing.
    — Ana Karina Zatarain, New Yorker, 15 Aug. 2026
Definition of harshly
Adverb
  • Shipping traffic remains severely restricted, demonstrating that many shipowners are not willing to risk a possible Iranian attack and underscoring Tehran’s ongoing leverage over Hormuz.
    — Hanna Ziady, CNN Money, 20 Aug. 2026
  • One pedestrian was killed and another was severely injured during a hit-and-run crash in South Los Angeles on Monday, according to Los Angeles police.
    — Dean Fioresi, CBS News, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of severely
Adverb
  • After a bit of a reprieve from an oppressively hot summer, another heat wave is set to scorch Southern California this week.
    — Grace Toohey, Los Angeles Times, 17 Aug. 2026
  • Survey respondents said their dwellings stayed oppressively hot even at night because overcrowding and poor construction trapped the heat.
    — Jasmin Malik Chua, Footwear News, 24 July 2026
Definition of oppressively
Adverb
  • The Heat are hard-capped at the NBA first luxury-tax apron due to the machinations required to trade last month for Milwaukee Bucks forwards Giannis Antetokounmpo and Bobby Portis.
    — Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 24 Aug. 2026
  • Gotham midfielder Rose Lavelle landed hard with the back of her head hitting the ground in the 31st minute.
    — Phuoc Nguyen, Chicago Tribune, 24 Aug. 2026
Definition of hard

Browse Nearby Words

brutalizing
brutally
brute
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Cite this Entry

“Brutally.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/brutally. Accessed 27 Aug. 2026.

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