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
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
This comes after Tennant was convicted last month on two counts of cruelty to children in the first degree.
—
Landon Mion, Fox News, 20 Apr. 2024
Their parents — who later pleaded guilty to 14 felony counts, including cruelty to an adult-dependent, child cruelty, torture, and false imprisonment — were sentenced to life in prison for their abuse.
—Charmaine Patterson, Peoplemag, 17 Apr. 2024
In actual practice, Chloe Guidry and Izzy G. steal the show, along with other stuff, in performances that range from uncomfortable bad-girl posing to chilling, casual cruelty — Izzy G.’s character in particular.
—Bill Goodykoontz, The Arizona Republic, 16 Apr. 2024
The horrors mount—a pit filled with dead bodies, a character executed point-blank for no reason beyond cruelty.
—Stephanie Zacharek, TIME, 12 Apr. 2024
Here, too, cruelty and oppression are the norm, drawing on ideology, propaganda, and militarization to convert its people from the old way of doing things to the wholly new regime.
—Hazlitt, 10 Apr. 2024
In exchange for her guilty plea, prosecutors agreed to drop the remaining 11 animal cruelty charges filed against her as part of an October indictment.
—Quinlan Bentley, The Enquirer, 9 Apr. 2024
Concerns that holding whales in captivity constitutes animal cruelty have spread beyond PETA to the public at large.
—Phillip Molnar, San Diego Union-Tribune, 4 Apr. 2024
On a timeless Mediterranean island, 12-year-old Mila’s peaceful and simple existence in her family home is disrupted when her father is killed due to an act of cruelty over inheritance money involving her aunt Khulan (Angela Molina).
—Nick Vivarelli, Variety, 9 Apr. 2024
Landon Mion, Fox News, 20 Apr. 2024
Their parents — who later pleaded guilty to 14 felony counts, including cruelty to an adult-dependent, child cruelty, torture, and false imprisonment — were sentenced to life in prison for their abuse.
—Charmaine Patterson, Peoplemag, 17 Apr. 2024
In actual practice, Chloe Guidry and Izzy G. steal the show, along with other stuff, in performances that range from uncomfortable bad-girl posing to chilling, casual cruelty — Izzy G.’s character in particular.
—Bill Goodykoontz, The Arizona Republic, 16 Apr. 2024
The horrors mount—a pit filled with dead bodies, a character executed point-blank for no reason beyond cruelty.
—Stephanie Zacharek, TIME, 12 Apr. 2024
Here, too, cruelty and oppression are the norm, drawing on ideology, propaganda, and militarization to convert its people from the old way of doing things to the wholly new regime.
—Hazlitt, 10 Apr. 2024
In exchange for her guilty plea, prosecutors agreed to drop the remaining 11 animal cruelty charges filed against her as part of an October indictment.
—Quinlan Bentley, The Enquirer, 9 Apr. 2024
Concerns that holding whales in captivity constitutes animal cruelty have spread beyond PETA to the public at large.
—Phillip Molnar, San Diego Union-Tribune, 4 Apr. 2024
On a timeless Mediterranean island, 12-year-old Mila’s peaceful and simple existence in her family home is disrupted when her father is killed due to an act of cruelty over inheritance money involving her aunt Khulan (Angela Molina).
—Nick Vivarelli, Variety, 9 Apr. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'cruelty.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near cruelty
Cite this Entry
“Cruelty.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cruelty. Accessed 26 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
cruelty
noun
cru·el·ty
ˈkrü-əl-tē
plural cruelties
1
: the quality or state of being cruel
2
: cruel treatment
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share