barbaric Definition
bar·baric (bär ber′ik)
adjective
- of, like, or characteristic of barbarians; uncivilized; primitive
- wild, crude, and unrestrained
Etymology: ME barbarik < L barbaricus < Gr barbarikos: see barbarous
barbaric Related Forms
bar·bar′i·cally adverb
barbaric Synonyms
barbaric
modif.
barbaric Usage Examples
Modifies a noun
- cruelty: There was never any excuse for such barbaric cruelty, especially by institutions which purported to be the sole arbiters of morality.
- punishment: So the first decade ended with what today many would call a barbaric punishment.
- act: Can Islamic law or the Qur'an be used to justify barbaric acts?
- murder: Barbaric murder is barbaric murder, I don't care where you grew up.
- regime: We will not be held to blackmail by a barbaric regime.
- attack: Our hearts and our prayers go out to the British people and everyone who suffered loss in this barbaric attack.
Modifying Another Word
- so: We are so barbaric here that we execute the mentally retarded people.
- very: Our country is still very backward, still very barbaric.
- particularly: It is particularly barbaric to allow turkeys with chronic leg disorders to be hung upside down by their legs for a full six minutes.
- even: It's brutal, even barbaric, yet one can't help watching it with some sort of appreciative grin.
- truly: Interesting to note that one contributor believes that nine more years and we'll turn into a truly barbaric country.
- pretty: Beside, it's pretty barbaric really, isn't it?
Used with adjective complement
- sound: I don't want to sound barbaric, but let me tell you, it is stimulating.
- seem: While the last option seems barbaric, that's exactly what some parents do when their child's life is in danger.
- consider: In the minds of many people the concept of running for your life is a very powerful image and is considered barbaric.
- describe: The Medieval people of the Middle Ages were warlike, they have even been described as barbaric.
Browse dictionary entries near barbaric
- ‹ barbarian
- ‹ Barbara
- ‹ Barbados
- ‹ barb
- ‹ barathea
- ‹ Baranof
- ‹ Baracaldo
- ‹ Barabbas
- ‹ bar sinister
- ‹ bar mitzvah
- barbarism ›
- barbarity ›
- barbarize ›
- Barbarossa ›
- barbarous ›
- Barbary ape ›
- Barbary Coast ›
- Barbary sheep ›
- Barbary States ›
- barbasco ›

