cruel

[ kroo-uhl ]

adjective

, cru·el·er, cru·el·est.

1. willfully or knowingly causing pain or distress to others.

   Synonyms: relentless, merciless, ferocious, bloodthirsty

   Antonyms: kind

2. enjoying the pain or distress of others:

   the cruel spectators of the gladiatorial contests.

   Antonyms: compassionate, sympathetic

3. causing or marked by great pain or distress:

   a cruel remark;

   a cruel affliction.

4. rigid; stern; strict; unrelentingly severe.

cruel

/ ˈkruːəl /

adjective

1. causing or inflicting pain without pity

   a cruel teacher

2. causing pain or suffering

   a cruel accident

Derived Forms

• ˈcruelness, noun
• ˈcruelly, adverb

Other Words From

• cruel·ly adverb
• cruel·ness noun
• un·cruel adjective
• un·cruel·ly adverb
• un·cruel·ness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of cruel¹

First recorded in 1175–1225; Middle English, from Anglo-French, Old French, from Latin crūdēlis, equivalent to crūd(us) ( crude ) + -ēlis, adjective suffix

Word History and Origins

Origin of cruel¹

C13: from Old French, from Latin crūdēlis, from crūdus raw, bloody

Synonym Study

Cruel, pitiless, ruthless, brutal, savage imply readiness to cause pain to others. Cruel implies willingness to cause pain, and indifference to suffering: a cruel stepfather. Pitiless adds the idea of refusal to show compassion: pitiless to captives. Ruthless implies cruelty and unscrupulousness, letting nothing stand in one's way: ruthless greed. Brutal implies cruelty that takes the form of physical violence: a brutal master. Savage suggests fierceness and brutality: savage battles.

Example Sentences

But people who reported being mistreated in their sports interactions, such as being subject to cruel comments or more extreme forms of abuse, were less enthusiastic about the benefits of sports.

From Science Daily

Urfan Sharif had previously admitted at the Old Bailey that he was “a cruel father” and that he had beat Sara, but he said that he did not mean to seriously harm her.

From BBC

Michael McConville has said that the portrayal of his mother's murder and secret burial by the IRA in a new Disney drama is "horrendous" and "cruel".

From BBC

"The portrayal of the execution and secret burial of my mother is horrendous and unless you have lived through it, you will never understand just how cruel it is," he said.

From BBC

"Our first thoughts in this moment are with her family and friends who are grieving a terrible and cruel loss," Albanese said on Thursday afternoon.

From BBC

Related Words

• atrocious
• barbarous
• bitter
• brutal
• callous
• cold-blooded
• evil
• harsh
• hateful
• heartless
• inhuman
• inhumane
• merciless
• painful
• relentless
• ruthless
• sadistic
• spiteful
• tyrannical
• unkind