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barbarism

barbarism

14 8.0
A very cruel act that hurts or kills many people
  • noun
  • /ˈbɑrbəˌrɪzəm/
: barbarie
  • Many viewed the torture of prisoners as a clear act of barbarism that must be condemned.
  • civilization against barbarism
  • savagery and barbarism
  • barbarism and violence

And Lovecraft was sort of, you know, proponent of civilization against barbarism.

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Examples

  • A desperate last stand between civilization and barbarism.

  • For progress to be achieved, barbarism must give way to civilization (law, order, and reason).

    Academic text (1993)
  • President Reagan called it an act of barbarism.

  • We must report this heinous barbarism to the last detail.

  • I don't care if it's military or not, this barbarism has got to stop.

    Blog text (6)
  • And as you stand against barbarism, you've become a symbol of the heroism of the Ukrainian people.

  • Cities represent the summits of civilization, yet they are also swamplands of barbarism.

    Academic text (2011)
  • All of those myths celebrated the triumph of Greeks or their gods over barbarism and chaos.

  • Now that's a cruelty and a moral barbarism that no one would endorse.

    Blog text (27)
  • For it is only by the rule of law... that any civilisation holds itself above the promiscuous squalor of barbarism.

Synonyms

abuse
vsbarbarism
  • NSFW
861 3.2

Harmful treatment of people or animals that happens again and again

is often used for single brutal acts or general savagery
atrocity
vsbarbarism
137 8.1

A very cruel or violent act that shocks people, often against innocent people

can also mean ongoing savage or uncivilised behaviour beyond one act
cruelty
vsbarbarism
  • NSFW
128 3.2

Actions that hurt people or animals on purpose

is more extreme, highlighting savage or brutal forms of harm
brutality
vsbarbarism
  • Offensive
125 5.6

Very cruel and violent actions that hurt people

is slightly narrower, stressing a single savage or brutal act
torture
vsbarbarism
  • Offensive
109 7.2

Very strong mental or physical pain that is hard to bear

is broader, describing cruelty that may not focus on suffering alone
savagery
vsbarbarism
  • NSFW
28 7.4

Extreme cruelty or violence that hurts people

covers such violence but also deliberate human cruelty more broadly
inhumanity
vsbarbarism
  • NSFW
12 6.6

Very cruel actions that show no care for other people

is more action-focused, naming brutal or savage deeds
viciousness
vsbarbarism
9 6.3

Being very cruel and violent toward other people or animals

is broader, including brutality that may not be overtly aggressive
inhuman treatment
vsbarbarism
  • Offensive
6 8.3

An act that causes someone great pain and suffering on purpose

is broader, also covering uncivilised or savage conduct beyond pain
barbarity
vsbarbarism
6 8.4

Very cruel and violent behavior that hurts people

is broader, naming savage acts or general inhuman behaviour
cruelness
vsbarbarism
1 4.5

Wanting to hurt or make others suffer

is focused on extreme violent acts rather than general disposition
beastliness
vsbarbarism
1 8.7

Cruel or very mean behavior towards other people

is stronger, stressing savage or brutal actions rather than nastiness
atrociousness
vsbarbarism
1 8.8

Very cruel actions that shock people

is the general label for brutal or savage acts
inhumanism
vsbarbarism
  • NSFW
1 9.8

Very cruel treatment that ignores people's feelings and rights

is a general term for savage or brutal acts by people
barbarousness
vsbarbarism
1 9.5

A very cruel way of behaving that shows no kindness

is often the term for a specific brutal or savage act
bestial act
vsbarbarism
  • NSFW
1 8.9

A very cruel action that shows no human feeling

is more general, covering brutal acts or uncivilised behaviour

Antonyms

24 3.4

Being kind and caring to other people

1 3.9

A process by which a society becomes more advanced in culture and organization

How Cruel

atrocity
137 8.1
brutality
  • Offensive
125 5.6
barbarism
14 8.0
cruelty
  • NSFW
128 3.2
unkindness
2 4.1

Surface Forms

barbarism singular
barbarisms plural

Morphology

barbarism = barbarous (transparent) = barbar + ism

Formed by adding the productive noun-forming suffix '-ism' to 'barbarous', denoting the quality, practice, or acts of being barbarous; meaning is directly derivable.

Etymology

Barbarism comes from the Greek word barbaros, which meant 'foreign' or 'strange' and imitated the 'bar-bar' sound people thought was nonsense. People used it for those they saw as uncivilized, so barbarism came to mean cruel or savage behavior.