Synonyms for barbarian
- adjective
- noun
Most common
Synonyms by meaning
Adjective
1. Savage
savage, uncivilized, uncivilised UK, barbaric, heathen, barbarous, brutish, inhuman, brutal, pagan, uncouth, wild, uncultured, brute, cruel, ferocious, truculent, rude, uncultivated, uncivil, fell, heathenish, noncivilized, noncivilised UK
Other
Noun
Definitions
- adj. 1
Relating to people, countries, or customs perceived as uncivilized or inferior.
- n. 1
A non-Greek or a non-Roman citizen.
Forms
- Plural
- barbarians → peasants, boors, goths, tykes…
Choose the right word
Whatever is not civilized is barbarian; barbaric indicates rude magnificence, uncultured richness; as, barbaric splendor, a barbaric melody.
J. C. Fernald, English Synonyms and Antonyms (1914)
Example sentences
- savage There are still some savage tribes on that island.
- barbaric Algeria is a modern nation, not a barbaric country.
- heathen How so? Do you not want to bet? Are you a heathen?
- uncivilized There are still uncivilized lands.
Popularity over time
| Word | 1850 → 2019 | Trend |
|---|---|---|
| barbarian | rising | |
| savage | rising | |
| barbaric | rising | |
| heathen | steady | |
| uncivilized | rising |
Use in printed books, per decade from 1850 to 2019.
By length
- 4 letters
- wild1, fell1, rude1, goth1, boor1, tyke1, lout1
- 5 letters
- alien3, cruel2, pagan2, brute1, churl
- 6 letters
- brutal2, savage2, vandal2
- 7 letters
- peasant2, inhuman3, heathen2, brutish2, uncouth2, ruffian, uncivil3
- 8 letters
- outsider3, barbaric3
- 9 letters
- foreigner3, ferocious3, outlander, peregrine3, barbarous3, truculent3
- 10 letters
- uncultured, heathenish
- 11 letters
- uncivilized4, uncivilised
- 12 letters
- uncultivated, noncivilized, noncivilised
The small number after each word is its number of syllables (alien3 = 3 syllables).
In other languages
- Français
- barbare
- Italiano
- barbaro
- Deutsch
- barbarisch