News Words: Brutal - September 11, 2024

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In early August, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina fled Bangladesh after violence at demonstrations around the country.

Brutal.

Students had been holding peaceful protests over a law concerning government jobs.

Security forces launched an effort to crush the movement, killing hundreds of people.

Hasina's government soon collapsed under the criticism of the brutal crackdown.

Brutal here means cruel and violent.

It suggests a lack of humanity.

The noun brute means an animal or beast.