barbaric

IPA/bɑːˈbærɪk/
KK[bɑrbˈærɪk]IPA/bɑːrˈbærɪk/

barbaric — adjective

  • barbaricpositive
  • more barbariccomparative
  • most barbaricsuperlative

1. Describes actions, punishments, or living conditions that cause great suffering

1.adjectiveB2
Definition

Describes actions, punishments, or living conditions that cause great suffering and offend basic standards of human decency because of their extreme violence or lack of mercy.

Example

The documentary exposed the barbaric conditions inside the prison, where many inmates lacked clean water.

barbaric conditions

Kofi said the barbaric treatment of political prisoners violated every international human rights law.

barbaric treatment

Common collocations
  • barbaric treatment
  • barbaric conditions
  • barbaric act
  • barbaric practice
  • barbaric punishment
  • barbaric crime
Synonyms
  • cruel

    More general and common; can describe people, actions, or situations at any level of severity

  • brutal

    Focuses on physical violence and harshness; slightly less moralizing than barbaric

  • inhumane

    Emphasizes lack of compassion or disregard for human dignity; common in formal and legal contexts

Antonyms
  • humane

    Shows kindness, care, and respect for the suffering of others

  • civilized

    Describes behaviour that meets accepted standards of decency and compassion

Grammar Patterns

barbaric + noun

be + barbaric

Usage Note

This sense carries a strong moral judgment. It is usually used to condemn actions, systems, or living conditions, not people directly.

Common Mistakes

The food at the cafeteria was barbaric.
The treatment of prisoners was barbaric.
Barbaric is too strong for ordinary complaints about food; use 'disgusting' or 'terrible' instead.
My boss was barbaric to me.
The regime's barbaric policies caused widespread suffering.
Barbaric describes extreme cruelty or violence, not everyday rudeness or unfairness.

2. Relating to a way of life that people from more technologically developed societ

2.adjectiveC1
Definition

Relating to a way of life that people from more technologically developed societies view as simple, rough, or lacking the customs and comforts associated with modern civilization.

Example

Early Roman historians described the barbaric tribes of northern Europe as wild and dangerous.

barbaric tribes

Nia argued in her book that no culture should be called barbaric simply because it lacks modern technology.

called barbaric

Common collocations
  • barbaric tribe
  • barbaric people
  • barbaric period
  • barbaric culture
  • barbaric custom
Synonyms
  • primitive

    More neutral and commonly used; can describe early stages of human development without the same negative tone

  • uncivilized

    Carries a similar judgmental tone; often used to describe behaviour rather than entire cultures

  • savage

    Historically used in similar ways but now considered offensive and outdated in academic contexts

Antonyms
  • civilized

    Describes a society with developed institutions, technology, and cultural refinement

  • advanced

    Neutral term describing a high level of technological or social development

Grammar Patterns

barbaric + noun (tribe, people, period, culture)

Usage Note

Modern historians and anthropologists often avoid this term because it implies a value judgment that one culture is superior to another. In academic writing, 'pre-industrial' or 'non-literate' are preferred.

Common Mistakes

My old laptop is barbaric.
The archaeological evidence suggests these barbaric communities had complex social structures.
Barbaric in this sense describes entire cultures or historical periods, not individual objects that are simply outdated.

3. Showing a powerful, rough, and uncontrolled quality that is striking or impressi

3.adjectiveC1
Definition

Showing a powerful, rough, and uncontrolled quality that is striking or impressive rather than carefully planned or refined; often describes art, music, dance, or natural scenery.

Example

The painter was known for her barbaric use of color, covering every canvas in bold bright strokes.

barbaric use of color

Hiroshi loved the barbaric energy of the live concert, full of raw passion and loud guitars.

barbaric energy

Common collocations
  • barbaric beauty
  • barbaric energy
  • barbaric style
  • barbaric use of color
  • barbaric grandeur
Synonyms
  • wild

    Simpler and more common; can be positive or negative depending on context

  • untamed

    Focuses on lack of human control; often used for nature, landscapes, or behaviour

  • fierce

    Emphasizes intensity and energy; can describe art, performance, or competition

Antonyms
  • refined

    Describes something carefully developed, polished, and elegant

  • restrained

    Describes something controlled, measured, and not excessive

  • delicate

    Suggests subtlety, fine detail, and gentleness rather than raw power

Grammar Patterns

barbaric + noun (beauty, energy, style)

Usage Note

Unlike the other senses, this use is not necessarily negative — it describes something impressive in its raw, untamed quality. It is more common in literary criticism and art reviews.

Common Mistakes

His bedroom was barbaric.
The sculpture had a barbaric grandeur, carved from rough stone without polish.
This sense implies a striking, powerful wildness, not mere mess or disorganization.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/1

All four words describe harmful or harsh actions, but they differ in scope and intensity. Cruel is the broadest term — it applies to any deliberate infliction of pain, whether physical or emotional, and can describe people, actions, or situations. Brutal emphasizes physical violence and roughness; a brutal attack is physically harsh, while a cruel remark may leave no visible mark. Inhumane focuses specifically on the lack of compassion or respect for human dignity and is common in formal discussions of prison conditions, treatment of workers, or animal welfare. Savage is the strongest of the four and implies a wild, primal ferocity that seems less than human. For example, describing a punishment as "barbaric" (sense 1) means it shocks the conscience — calling it "inhumane" focuses on the absence of decency, while calling it "brutal" highlights its physical harshness, and "savage" suggests an almost animal-like cruelty.

cruel ↗brutal ↗inhumane ↗savage ↗

Etymology

GreekLatinFrenchEnglish

Barbaric entered English in the mid-1500s, borrowed from French barbarique, which came from Latin barbaricus, itself from Greek barbarikos. The Greek root barbaros originally meant 'non-Greek' or 'foreigner' — someone who did not speak Greek. To Greek ears, foreign languages sounded like 'bar-bar' (unintelligible babbling), so the word carried the sense of someone outside the civilized world. Over centuries, the meaning shifted from 'foreign' to 'uncivilized' and eventually to 'cruel' and 'wild', reflecting the tendency of dominant cultures to view outsiders negatively.