brutal
brutal
Sehr hart, grausam oder ohne Mitgefühl.
Definition & meaning
Brutal means brutal, violent, or cruel, often describing extreme physical force or a lack of compassion.
It can also mean harsh or extreme more generally. In informal German, it may intensify an adjective, much like “extremely” or “incredibly.”
Grammar & Word origin
Brutal is an adjective. Before a noun, it takes an ending, as in brutale Gewalt (“brutal violence”). Its comparative and superlative are brutaler and am brutalsten.
It comes via French from Latin brutus, meaning “heavy,” “dull,” or “unreasoning.”
Synonyms & antonyms
- grausam — “cruel”; emphasizes causing suffering, rather than physical violence alone.
- gewalttätig — “violent”; specifically emphasizes the use of physical force.
- rücksichtslos — “ruthless” or “inconsiderate”; emphasizes disregard for others.
- sanft — “gentle”; an antonym when describing force or behavior.
- mitfühlend — “compassionate”; an antonym when describing a person’s treatment of others.
Common phrases & collocations
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Examples
Der Film ist zu brutal für Kinder.adjective
The movie is too brutal for children.
Manche Szenen wirken brutal auf viele Zuschauer.adverb
Some scenes seem brutal to many viewers.
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