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

Keep scrolling for more

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

Halloween is the story of Allyson's induction into the long lineage of women who face the cruelty of the world and make it out the other side tougher and wiser. — Elizabeth Logan, Glamour, "Halloween Is More Than a Horror Movie—It's a Tribute to Mothers and Daughters," 20 Oct. 2018 Sean and Daniel have to cope with the quiet cruelties of being judged for the color of their skin and the assumptions the authorities automatically make about them. — Julie Muncy, Ars Technica, "Life Is Strange 2, episode 1 review: New setting, same heart," 28 Sep. 2018 Sierra is not the film’s only sinner; a number of the characters use transphobic and homophobic remarks as punchlines and the film does little in the way of addressing their cruelty. — De Elizabeth, Teen Vogue, "I Really Tried to Like “Sierra Burgess,” But Catfishing Isn’t Romantic — It’s Harmful," 10 Sep. 2018 Feeling the sting of insignificance—rare in this age of narcissism—while observing the migration of 1.5 million wildebeests. Digesting the necessary cruelty of the hyena kill. — Laura Dannen Redman, Condé Nast Traveler, "18 Summers: The Ultimate Guide to Not Wasting a Single Vacation With Your Kids," 20 July 2018 But the result is a brand of justice that seems un-American to many, unrecognizable in its deliberate cruelty. — Liz Goodwin, BostonGlobe.com, "Down on the border, a new trail of tears," 10 June 2018 Fargeat is taking familiar, misogynistic iconography and setting it to boil, bringing all its cruelty and noxiousness to the surface. — David Sims, The Atlantic, "Revenge Is a Shocking and Subversive Piece of Horror," 9 May 2018 Although capitalism is brutally alive & well, the next generations will not tolerate its cruelty & greed. — Paulina Dedaj, Fox News, "Moviemaker Michael Moore wishes Karl Marx a happy 200th birthday," 5 May 2018 Vulnerability collides with cruelty in a number of these stories, which often feature Indian or Indian-American main characters and which touch on rape, child abuse, adultery, theft, abandonment and similar cheery subjects. — Sam Sacks, WSJ, "Fiction Books: Tapped Into a Kind of Magic," 25 Oct. 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.