cruelty

noun

cru·el·ty | \ ˈkrü(-ə)l-tē

plural cruelties

Definition of cruelty

1 : the quality or state of being cruel

2a : 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 & Antonyms Example Sentences Learn More about cruelty

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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 cruelty for a clearly flustered Moore continued when Martinez hit a sharp ground ball to third. — Ryan Divish, The Seattle Times, "Whew! Mariners hang on to beat Red Sox despite three ninth-inning errors," 30 Mar. 2019 Unlike many other antislavery advocates, Lincoln avoided emphasizing controversial topics, like the suffering of slaves, the cruelty of slaveholders and the need for blacks to be awarded citizenship rights. — David S. Reynolds, WSJ, "‘Becoming Lincoln’ Review: The Center That Held," 15 Feb. 2019 That mirth, combined with the utter ridiculousness of the plot, makes Barry an effective, if violent, escape from the cruelty of the real world. — Emily Dreyfuss, WIRED, "9 Emmy-Nominated Shows You Can Binge to Escape Reality," 13 July 2018 The perils that befall them along the way are at times almost too much to bear, but the cruelty of this journey is checked at every step by the bracing force of Haigh’s compassion. — Justin Chang, latimes.com, "Critic's Choice: Andrew Haigh's 'Lean on Pete' is a piercingly sad coming-of-age tale," 12 July 2018 By the time Straley arrived in March of 1963, the cruelty had become routinized, and took the form of a long leather barber shop-style strap that was made partly of sheet metal. — Carol Marbin Miller, miamiherald, "A victim of vile abuse at Florida reform school, he spent his life fighting for justice," 10 July 2018 The investigation into the cruelty of women is the raw, beating heart of Sharp Objects. — refinery29.com, "Sharp Objects Review: It’s Exactly What You Need During The Big Little Lies Drought," 5 July 2018 Annelise Marie Ambert, 21, was charged with cruelty or neglect of a child, North Smithfield police said in a statement. — Jackson Cote, BostonGlobe.com, "Milford woman is arrested after leaving child locked in car," 5 July 2018 Gadi Gvaryahu shakes his head, astonished by the cruelty of those words. — Dina Kraft, The Christian Science Monitor, "Into dark cycle of Mideast revenge, this group tries to bring light," 28 June 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'cruelty.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.