as in cruelty
disposition to willfully inflict pain and suffering on others
more than one reluctant dental patient has been tempted to level the charge of barbarity against their dentist
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of barbarity
The Illusion of Destiny Why is the world racked by barbarity and violence?
—
Foreign Affairs, 8 Oct. 2024
In the face of tragedy and crisis and inequality and barbarity, artists make work.
—Chadd Scott, Forbes, 2 Oct. 2024
Rupturing the viewer’s passive gaze, Yellowjackets’ gut-wrenching barbarity is situated in these corporeal incisions and dissections.
—Sakhi Thirani, JSTOR Daily, 22 Mar. 2023
The Russian president also encouraged acts of barbarity against his critics.
—Andrei Kolesnikov, Foreign Affairs, 18 Apr. 2022
See All Example Sentences for barbarity
Foreign Affairs, 8 Oct. 2024
In the face of tragedy and crisis and inequality and barbarity, artists make work.
—Chadd Scott, Forbes, 2 Oct. 2024
Rupturing the viewer’s passive gaze, Yellowjackets’ gut-wrenching barbarity is situated in these corporeal incisions and dissections.
—Sakhi Thirani, JSTOR Daily, 22 Mar. 2023
The Russian president also encouraged acts of barbarity against his critics.
—Andrei Kolesnikov, Foreign Affairs, 18 Apr. 2022
See All Example Sentences for barbarity
Recent Examples of Synonyms for barbarity
Noun
-
Currently there are no comprehensive animal cruelty laws in China, which experts say has created a culture of impunity among cat torturers.—
Rebecca Wright,
CNN Money,
30 May 2025
-
That's why the spectacular cruelty with which the cuts were carried out tanked Musk's personal brand and triggered Trump's inexorable decline in approval.—
Newsweek Staff,
MSNBC Newsweek,
30 May 2025
Noun
-
But the picture’s cartoonish brutality is cathartic.—
Stephanie Zacharek,
Time,
6 June 2025
-
Failing to silence his work through restrictions and brutality, the Iranian regime appears to have been resigned to simply ignoring Panahi.—
Max Goldbart,
Deadline,
30 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Barbarity.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/barbarity. Accessed 10 Jun. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share