cruelty

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noun cru·el·ty \ˈkrü(-ə)l-tē\

: a desire to cause others to suffer : the quality or state of being cruel

: actions that cause suffering

: an act or occurrence that causes suffering

plural cru·el·ties

Full Definition of CRUELTY

1

:  the quality or state of being cruel

2

a :  a cruel action

b :  inhuman treatment

3

:  marital conduct held (as in a divorce action) to endanger life or health or to cause mental suffering or fear

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Examples of CRUELTY

1. a dictator known for his cruelty
2. The cruelty of children can be surprising.
3. They protested against cruelty to animals.

Origin of CRUELTY

Middle English cruelte, from Anglo-French cruelté, from Latin crudelitat-, crudelitas, from crudelis

First Known Use: 13th century

Related to CRUELTY

Synonyms

atrociousness, atrocity, barbarity, barbarousness, brutality, cruelness, fiendishness, heartlessness, inhumanity, inhumanness, sadism, savageness, savagery, truculence, viciousness, wantonness

Antonyms

benignity, compassion, good-heartedness, humaneness, humanity, kindheartedness, kindness, sympathy, tenderheartedness

Related Words

hard-heartedness, mercilessness, pitilessness, ruthlessness, unfeelingness; fellness, ferociousness, ferocity, fierceness, grimness; bloodlust, bloodthirstiness, murderousness, sanguineness, sanguinity; cattiness, despitefulness, hatefulness, malevolence, maliciousness, malignity, meanness, nastiness, spitefulness; hardhandedness, harshness, heavy-handedness, oppressiveness

Near Antonyms

tenderness, warmheartedness, warmness, warmth; charitableness, clemency, leniency, mercifulness, mercy, pity