noun

brute force

broot FORSS

Brute force (noun) means a method of breaking into an account or decoding protected data by trying enormous numbers of possible passwords or keys one after another until one works, rather than by finding a clever weakness. Example: “The login page locks an account after ten wrong attempts, which makes brute force impractical.”

noun

computing A method of breaking into an account or decoding protected data by trying enormous numbers of possible passwords or keys one after another until one works, rather than by finding a clever weakness.

"The login page locks an account after ten wrong attempts, which makes brute force impractical."

"A long random passphrase is out of reach of brute force in any useful time frame."

Sheer physical strength or crude power applied to a task, without skill or subtlety.

"He opened the jammed door by brute force alone."

adjective

computing Describing an approach that solves a problem by working through every possibility in turn instead of using a shortcut or a smarter technique.

"Their first version was a brute-force search that checked every combination in the list."

How to Use Brute force

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishGuessing a password by trying every possibility until one fits.

When to use it

Two words as a noun ('by brute force'), hyphenated before a noun ('a brute-force attack'). The physical sense is everyday English; the computing senses are technical.

Memory tip

Hyphenate when it sits in front of a noun, and leave it open when it follows a preposition.

Easily confused with

dictionary attack credential stuffing phishing → rainbow table

Common pairings

brute-force attack brute-force a password resistant to brute force brute-force search

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Can you complete this real example?

The login page locks an account after ten wrong attempts, which makes _____ impractical.

Synonyms

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exhaustive search brute-force attack trial-and-error attack password cracking exhaustive unsophisticated naive raw strength main force sheer power

Antonyms

heuristic optimised targeted finesse skill subtlety

Related Words

experience ability directed grace talent detailed skill aimed

Rhymes for brute force

force enforce divorce reinforce workforce Wilberforce

See all rhymes for brute force →

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between a brute-force attack and a dictionary attack?

A brute-force attack works through possible combinations systematically, in principle covering every option of a given length. A dictionary attack tries a prepared list of likely passwords, such as common words and previously leaked passwords, so it tests far fewer candidates but hits ordinary human choices much faster.

Why does password length matter more than adding odd symbols?

Each extra character multiplies the number of combinations that would have to be tested, so length raises the total far more sharply than swapping a few letters for symbols does. Predictable substitutions are also already built into cracking tools.

What is credential stuffing, and is it brute force?

Credential stuffing replays username and password pairs stolen from one site against many other sites. It is not brute force in the strict sense, because it is not guessing: it relies on people reusing the same password in more than one place.

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