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📕 rednote ID(小红书号)：3881567312

Brutal Meaning, Examples, and Usage Guide (2 meaning)

Meaning 1：savagely cruel (brutal)

brutal 🔊

/ˈbruː.təl/

adj.

Extremely cruel, violent, and causing great pain or suffering, like an animal's attack.

savagely cruel 🔊

➕

/ˈsæv.ɪdʒ.li kruːəl/

adj.

Describes an act or behavior that is extremely violent, cruel, and lacking any mercy, often associated with animals attacking their prey.

📁 Category：Animal Protection 🔖 Level：intermediate

📘 Details & Usage

📖 Root Explanation

From Latin 'brutus' (heavy, dull, irrational) + adjective suffix '-al'.

💡 Mnemonic

Think 'brute' + 'tal' = a brute's tale of savage violence. Picture a brawl (bru-) to recall cruel force.

📖 Example

The documentary showed the brutal reality of animal fighting, which was very difficult to watch. 🔊 The documentary showed the brutal reality of animal fighting, which was very difficult to watch.

🔗 Collocations

brutal attack – A violent and cruel assault.

brutal murder – A killing carried out with extreme violence.

brutal treatment – Treatment that is harsh and causes suffering.

🔄 Synonyms

savage (adj.) – Fierce and cruel, like a wild animal.

vicious (adj.) – Deliberately cruel and violent.

ferocious (adj.) – Savagely fierce and dangerous.

🚫 Antonyms

gentle (adj.) – Mild and kind, not harsh.

merciful (adj.) – Showing compassion and forgiveness.

humane (adj.) – Showing kindness and care for others.

🌱 Derivatives

brutality (n.) – The quality of being cruel and violent.

brutally (adv.) – In a cruel and violent manner.

brutish (adj.) – Resembling a brute; crude and unfeeling.

📖 Cultural Story

Derived from Latin 'brutus', meaning 'heavy, stupid', used for animals. In Old French, it evolved to 'brutal', referring to savage, beastly cruelty. No mythical origin.

Meaning 2：harshly blunt (brutal)

brutal 🔊

/ˈbruː.təl/

adj.

Extremely honest and direct in a way that seems harsh, unkind, and without trying to be gentle about it.

harshly blunt 🔊

➕

/ˈhɑːrʃ.li blʌnt/

adj.

Describes a statement or feedback that is extremely direct and honest, even if it causes discomfort, without trying to soften the message.

📁 Category：School Education 🔖 Level：intermediate

📘 Details & Usage

📖 Example

My manager's feedback was brutal but fair; he pointed out every single mistake I made in the presentation. 🔊 My manager's feedback was brutal but fair; he pointed out every single mistake I made in the presentation.

🔗 Collocations

brutal honesty – The quality of being completely honest, even if it is hurtful.

brutal truth – A fact that is unpleasant but unavoidable.

brutal critique – A critical evaluation that is harsh and unsparing.

🔄 Synonyms

blunt (adj.) – Saying exactly what one thinks without trying to be polite.

frank (adj.) – Open and honest in speech, often to the point of being harsh.

forthright (adj.) – Direct and outspoken; without hesitation.

🚫 Antonyms

tactful (adj.) – Showing care in what is said to avoid offending.

diplomatic (adj.) – Handling situations with sensitivity and skill.

gentle (adj.) – Mild and soft in manner, not harsh.

🌱 Derivatives

brutality (n.) – The quality of being unpleasantly direct.

brutally (adv.) – In a harshly direct manner.