noun

brute

broot

noun

A rough, violent, or unthinking person.

"The bouncer looked like a brute, but he was actually gentle and soft-spoken."

"Stop acting like a brute and apologize."

adjective

Purely physical, with no reasoning or subtlety involved.

"The wall was knocked down with brute force alone."

"Brute strength wasn't enough — the puzzle needed cleverness."

How to Use Brute

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishA crude, animal-like force or person, with no intelligence or finesse involved.

Common mistake

Don't confuse "brute force" (raw power/effort) with "force of habit" — different idioms entirely.

Common pairings

brute force brute strength a brute of a man

more brute comparative, bruted past tense, brutes plural, brutes singular, most brute superlative

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The bouncer looked like a _____, but he was actually gentle and soft-spoken.

From Latin brutus (\"dull, stupid, insensible\"), the same root behind \"brutal\" and \"brutish.\"

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