that's brutal

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "that's brutal" is correct and usable in written English.
It is typically used to express sympathy or shock regarding a difficult or harsh situation. Example: "I just heard about the layoffs at the company. That's brutal."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

14 human-written examples

Enter Roc-a-Fella veteran Beanie Sigel with a taste of his new album The Broad Street Bully – a state-of-the-streets address that's brutal, unforgiving and strong enough to shoulder his boss's slack.

The Guardian - Music

"A 13,000 page dossier - that's brutal dictation".

The Guardian

"Wow, that's brutal," was the response of Silicon Valley co-show-runner Alec Berg, when he was asked about his show's gender diversity statistics (20% of director, 5% of writer, 0% of cinematography, and 0% of editing credits).

The Guardian - TV & Radio

Because the only thing that's brutal is the truth.

Vice

Ouch, that's brutal.

The Guardian - TV & Radio

"That's brutal," Syd says stonily.

The New Yorker

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

46 human-written examples

He was inspired by Frank Frazetta's fantasy paintings to create a sword fighting game that was "brutal and as realistic as possible".

Wikipedia

Munster scored two tries to Glasgow's one at Scotstoun, but the home side prevailed in a contest that was brutal and tense throughout.

BBC

To make that adjustment was hard — that was brutal.

The New York Times - Sports

"He always had these teams that were brutal.

The Guardian - Sport

TV has plenty of ambitious experiments that are brutal to watch.

The New Yorker

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "that's brutal" to express empathy or acknowledge the severity of a situation, particularly when someone is sharing a negative experience or hardship.

Common error

Avoid using "that's brutal" excessively in everyday conversations, as it can desensitize the expression and diminish its impact when addressing truly serious matters. Choose more nuanced language when appropriate.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "that's brutal" functions as an interjection or exclamation, expressing a strong negative reaction to a situation or piece of information. Ludwig AI examples show it used to convey sympathy, shock, or acknowledgement of hardship.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

70%

Wiki

15%

Science

5%

Less common in

Formal & Business

3%

Encyclopedias

3%

Reference

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "that's brutal" is a common and grammatically correct expression used to convey sympathy, shock, or agreement with the harshness of a situation. As confirmed by Ludwig AI, it functions primarily as an interjection in informal contexts, particularly in News & Media. While alternatives like "that's harsh" or "that's tough" exist, "that's brutal" carries a specific weight, acknowledging the severity of the situation. While generally appropriate for casual settings, it's advisable to avoid overuse and consider the audience to maintain its impact.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

that's harsh

Replaces "brutal" with "harsh", indicating a severe or unpleasant situation.

that's rough

Substitutes "brutal" with "rough", suggesting a difficult or unpleasant experience.

that's tough

Replaces "brutal" with "tough", indicating a challenging or unfortunate situation.

that's severe

Uses "severe" instead of "brutal", implying a serious or extreme situation.

that's awful

Replaces "brutal" with "awful", expressing a feeling of disgust or shock.

that's terrible

Uses "terrible" instead of "brutal", indicating a very bad or unpleasant situation.

that's intense

Replaces "brutal" with "intense", suggesting a strong or extreme feeling.

that's extreme

Uses "extreme" instead of "brutal", indicating something far from the norm.

that's shocking

Replaces "brutal" with "shocking", expressing surprise and dismay.

that's devastating

Uses "devastating" instead of "brutal", implying a destructive or emotionally overwhelming event.

FAQs

How can I use "that's brutal" in a sentence?

You can use "that's brutal" to express sympathy or shock, as in "I heard about the accident, "that's brutal"". It is often used in response to bad news or a difficult situation someone is describing.

What are some alternatives to saying "that's brutal"?

You can use alternatives like "that's harsh", "that's tough", or "that's rough" depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

When is it appropriate to use "that's brutal"?

It's appropriate to use "that's brutal" when acknowledging a particularly difficult, unfair, or harsh situation. However, consider the context and audience, as it might be too informal for formal settings.

Is "that's brutal" considered a slang term?

"That's brutal" isn't strictly slang, but it is an informal expression. It's widely understood and accepted in casual conversation but might not be suitable for formal writing or professional communication.