cruelty

noun

cru·​el·​ty ˈkrü(-ə)l-tē 

plural cruelties

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

Synonyms

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

Examples of cruelty in a Sentence

a dictator known for his cruelty

The cruelty of children can be surprising.

They protested against cruelty to animals.

Recent Examples on the Web

The sheriff’s website shows a charge for animal cruelty against McNally, but that was connected to separate case, O’Boyle said. —Caleb Lunetta, San Diego Union-Tribune, 15 Sep. 2023

The Castros are also charged with concealing a death and cruelty to children. —Louis Casiano, Fox News, 14 Sep. 2023

The boys’ father, Dante Daugherty, 42, was charged with second-degree murder and two counts of second-degree cruelty to children. —Alexis Stevens, ajc, 11 Sep. 2023

Five former employees of a juvenile detention center in Georgia have been indicted on child cruelty charges related to the death of a 16-year-old girl who died while in custody last year, authorities said. —Nicole Acosta, Peoplemag, 11 Sep. 2023

Parents lamented the cruelty of burying their children over drugs, of faltering faith and questions unanswered. —Jamie Landers, Dallas News, 1 Sep. 2023

Family members, ex-wives, and parenting partners shared their views, including frustrated complaints about Musk’s cruelty and impulsivity. —WIRED, 15 Sep. 2023

Initially all the politicians, certainly on the left and most immigrant advocates, were calling out Abbott’s cruelty. —Isaac Chotiner, The New Yorker, 15 Sep. 2023

Co-written with Shane Danielsen, the script often over-simplifies the humanity and the cruelty of both the Indigenous people and their European counterparts. —Carlos Aguilar, Variety, 8 Sep. 2023

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Word History

Etymology

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

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing cruelty

• anti-cruelty
• cruelty-free

• anti-cruelty
• cruelty-free

Kids Definition

cruelty

noun

cru·​el·​ty ˈkrü-əl-tē 

plural cruelties

1

: the quality or state of being cruel

2

: cruel treatment

Legal Definition

cruelty

noun

cru·​el·​ty

plural cruelties

1

a

: an intentional or criminally negligent act that causes pain and suffering

cruelty to animals

cruelty to children

b

: mistreatment or neglect that causes pain and suffering compare abuse

Note: Cruelty is an aggravating circumstance to a crime (as murder).

2

: a spouse's conduct that endangers life or health or causes mental suffering or fear

called also cruel and inhuman treatment

Note: Cruelty is a ground for divorce.