brute

1 of 2

adjective

1
: of or relating to beasts
the ways of the brute world
2
: inanimate sense 1a
a brute object
3
: characteristic of an animal in quality, action, or instinct: such as
a
: cruel, savage
brute violence
b
: not working by reason
brute instinct
4
: purely physical
brute strength
brute force
5
: unrelievedly harsh
brute facts
brute necessity

brute

2 of 2

noun

1
: beast
2
: one who lacks intelligence, sensitivity, or compassion : a brutal person

Examples of brute in a Sentence

Adjective They used brute force to open the door. the brute fact of getting old Noun Let go of me, you brute! it is a fundamental sense of right and wrong that separates us from the brutes
Recent Examples on the Web
Adjective
The effect intends to create an all-encompassing experience—and given that the myth of Prometheus describes nothing less than the triumph of human ingenuity against the brute forces of nature, a concert that seeks to elevate its patrons to another plane seems appropriate. Chloe Schama, Vogue, 27 Feb. 2024 Guided by a gentleness and patience that belies the brute survival skills these men possess, the transfer of knowledge is quiet and determined. Sara Miller Llana, The Christian Science Monitor, 11 Dec. 2023 When murderous maniacs threaten to repeat their rampage, brute force is all that will stop them. Letters To The Editor, The Mercury News, 6 Feb. 2024 The anti-government defiance was met with brute force, partially stifled by the arrival of COVID and was firmly put to bed in July 2020 when Beijing injected national security laws directly into Hong Kong’s mini constitution. Patrick Frater, Variety, 1 Feb. 2024 One way to solve these problems is with brute force. The Physics Arxiv Blog, Discover Magazine, 31 Jan. 2024 Take an intellectual approach to change instead of letting brute force lead the way. Eugenia Last, The Mercury News, 23 Jan. 2024 Image creation is rarely successful when it is concerned only with the brute projection of power. Sebastian Smee, Washington Post, 20 Nov. 2023 Brute Force The result is a brute force proof that perfect play by both players leads to a draw. Discover Magazine, 7 Nov. 2023
Noun
Feliciano shouldn’t be excommunicated for pointing out Burford’s gaffe, but perhaps the 49ers look for a young brute to take over at right guard and/or to challenge Brendel at center. Cam Inman, The Mercury News, 26 Feb. 2024 The impatient Blackthorne can’t understand or appreciate Japanese culture and rituals, a stance that softens once Toranaga assigns Toda Mariko (Anna Sawai) — who’s dealing with disgrace of her own along with a brute of a husband — as a translator. Randy Myers, The Mercury News, 27 Feb. 2024 The mess-up puts Jamie and Marian in the crosshairs of a local crime organization headed by a soft-spoken brute known only as the Chief (Colman Domingo), who enlists two thuggish ding-dongs to get the suitcase back. Ann Hornaday, Washington Post, 21 Feb. 2024 Most of the Nazis here are not the hulking brutes generally portrayed by Hollywood. Catherine Bray, Variety, 17 Feb. 2024 The image of Mongols as brutes outlasted their conquests. Manvir Singh, The New Yorker, 25 Dec. 2023 The latter element is headed by Lazarus (Taylor James), a sneering brute who once took out a Beekeeper and lost a leg in the process. David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, 10 Jan. 2024 Gladiators, pain freaks, brutes, clowns, true athletes, fake competitors: The slab-of-meat stars of professional wrestling are all those things. Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 12 Dec. 2023 But Justine, who, unlike Dorothy, is pretty, thin, and popular, incarnates Rand’s notion of the beautiful brute more than Dorothy does. Katy Waldman, The New Yorker, 21 Nov. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'brute.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Adjective and Noun

Middle English, from Middle French brut rough, from Latin brutus brutish, literally, heavy; akin to Latin gravis heavy — more at grieve

First Known Use

Adjective

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

1611, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of brute was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near brute

Cite this Entry

“Brute.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/brute. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

brute

1 of 2 adjective
1
: of or relating to beasts
2
: typical of beasts : like that of a beast
brute force
brute strength

brute

2 of 2 noun
1
2
: a brutal person

More from Merriam-Webster on brute

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