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Synonym Chooser

How is the word cruel different from other adjectives like it?

Some common synonyms of cruel are barbarous, ferocious, fierce, and savage. While all these words mean "showing fury or malignity in looks or actions," cruel implies indifference to suffering and even positive pleasure in inflicting it.

the cruel jokes of schoolboys

When is barbarous a more appropriate choice than cruel?

The synonyms barbarous and cruel are sometimes interchangeable, but barbarous implies a ferocity or mercilessness regarded as unworthy of civilized people.

barbarous treatment of prisoners

When is it sensible to use ferocious instead of cruel?

While the synonyms ferocious and cruel are close in meaning, ferocious implies extreme fierceness and unrestrained violence and brutality.

a ferocious dog

When could fierce be used to replace cruel?

The meanings of fierce and cruel largely overlap; however, fierce applies to humans and animals that inspire terror because of their wild and menacing aspect or fury in attack.

fierce warriors

In what contexts can savage take the place of cruel?

Although the words savage and cruel have much in common, savage implies the absence of inhibitions restraining civilized people filled with rage, lust, or other violent passion.

a savage criminal

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of cruel This is a different kind of World War II love story, about a hidden jewel and the power of radio waves and the mysterious ways in which human decency can survive even the cruelest circumstances. Los Angeles Times, 14 Apr. 2025 If Bonhoeffer’s example is used to justify more far-right Christian violence in America, that would be another tragedy — and a cruel irony that would stain the legacy of a man who gave up everything to confront a tyrant. John Blake, CNN Money, 13 Apr. 2025 The Guardians of the Galaxy director's upcoming film stars David Corenswet as Superman, Rachel Brosnahan as reporter Lois Lane, and Nicholas Hoult as the brilliant and cruel billionaire Lex Luthor. Randall Colburn, EW.com, 12 Apr. 2025 The whole plotline is frankly cruel and premised around the idea that actors are idiots who shouldn’t be encouraged to think for themselves. Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 11 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for cruel
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cruel
Adjective
  • This high school student completed a brutal swim across New Zealand's 13.67-mile Cook Strait 02:16 CNN — Maya Merhige eventually stopped counting her jellyfish stings, such was the frequency with which they were getting scorched against her skin.
    George Ramsay, CNN Money, 30 Apr. 2025
  • Although understanding the difference between destructive and constructive feedback helps leaders communicate brutal truths without causing unnecessary harm, these examples highlight how easily criticism can become a personal attack.
    Topsie VandenBosch, Forbes.com, 29 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • Vietnamese refugees who got a warm welcome from America puzzle at family separations, harsh rhetoric In Vietnam, Lam had owned three companies.
    Anh Do, Los Angeles Times, 29 Apr. 2025
  • President Donald Trump has launched harsh immigration actions in his first 100 days in office—detaining more people for immigration violations, allowing arrests outside schools and courthouses, and sending more than 200 Venezuelan men to be imprisoned in El Salvador.
    Brian Bennett, Time, 29 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • Lotions in particular remove hair from the root, are less painful than wax strips, and are much cheaper than laser hair removal and electrolysis.
    Danielle Jackson, Glamour, 29 Apr. 2025
  • Like many things in life, trying to fix something later is much more painful.
    Kevin Campbell, Forbes.com, 29 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • These attacks work by causing a software package to access the wrong component dependency, for instance by publishing a malicious package and giving it the same name as the legitimate one but with a later version stamp.
    Dan Goodin, ArsTechnica, 29 Apr. 2025
  • The best way to safeguard yourself from malicious links that install malware, potentially accessing your private information, is to have antivirus software installed on all your devices.
    Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 27 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • Sandhagen dispatched Edgar with a vicious flying knee 28 seconds into that bout.
    Trent Reinsmith, Forbes.com, 28 Apr. 2025
  • In its most memorable moment, Walker dispatches a particularly vicious henchwoman with a harpoon to the neck.
    Mike Miller, EW.com, 26 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • Four times, he’s used it to strikeout hitters, with the horizontal break being tough to pick up.
    Abbey Mastracco, New York Daily News, 28 Apr. 2025
  • However, the emotional side of living with the inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) can be just as tough.
    Caitlin Carlson, SELF, 28 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • Before embarking on an NBA career that's already filled with exhilarating highs and torturous lows, Pritchard helped lead the Oregon Ducks to their first Final Four appearance since the inaugural NCAA men's basketball tournament.
    Bobby Krivitsky, Forbes.com, 16 Apr. 2025
  • This is like one of Larry David's torturous self-debates on Curb Your Enthusiasm, but without his perverse genius, his wheedling, preening hostility.
    Tom Gliatto, People.com, 26 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • Of note: Your Content must not be false, defamatory, misleading or hateful, or infringe any copyright or any other third-party rights or otherwise be unlawful.
    Catherine Pearson, New York Times, 29 Apr. 2025
  • Now, imagine a flood of political images, hateful memes and mocking videos from domestic and foreign sources taking over social media.
    Ernesto Verdeja, The Conversation, 24 Apr. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Cruel.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cruel. Accessed 5 May. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on cruel

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