brutal

Everyday

1. Brutal means very cruel and violent. tree →
2. Brutal means very harsh, severe or unpleasant, as with weather or a test. tree →
3. (informal) Brutal honesty or truth is said directly, even if it hurts. tree →
4. (slang) Brutal can mean really bad or tough: «That maths test was brutal.» tree →

In the lessons

In history lessons brutal describes cruel rulers, wars and punishments. In everyday talk children and teenagers use it for anything hard or unfair, like a long run or a strict teacher. In stories it tells the reader that a character or event is cruel. Phrases: a brutal attack, brutal honesty, brutally cold, a brutal winter.

Examples

• The brutal king punished anyone who disagreed. tree →
• The soldiers carried out a brutal attack on the village. tree →
• The winter in Canada was brutal, with temperatures of minus thirty. tree →
• (informal) That cross-country run was brutal! tree →
• With brutal honesty, my friend said my drawing looked like a potato. tree →
• The wolf's brutal teeth tore the meat. tree →
• It was a brutally hot day. tree →
• Hook itched to do it, but it seemed too brutal. tree →

Note

Adverb brutally, noun brutality. Related: brute (a cruel or very strong person or animal). In formal writing use it for real cruelty; the «really hard» meaning is informal.