as in ruthlessly
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Recent Examples of cruelly
Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids that cruelly sow fear are not the solution.
—
Chicago Tribune, 8 May 2026
Before his afternoon was ended so cruelly, there were positives and negatives to take from his display.
—Simon Johnson, New York Times, 4 May 2026
His ability to endure might, in a perverse way, have been a gift from his father, who, by Hurst’s account, treated him cruelly.
—Chris Wiley, New Yorker, 28 Apr. 2026
Immigrant rights advocates have criticized the practice as inhumane and say ICE has cruelly targeted people following the rules by turning up to their court dates to meet quotas.
—Molly Crane-Newman, New York Daily News, 26 Mar. 2026
This year’s ceremony was not perfect, of course — there were some sound-production issues, there were some presenters with milquetoast bits (as always), and a few winners were played off the stage with cruelly abrupt music cues.
—Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 16 Mar. 2026
As a young schoolboy, Davidson was often cruelly stigmatized because no one had bothered to diagnose his disorder.
—Baz Bamigboye, Deadline, 23 Feb. 2026
The obvious price gap between her Zara dress and the Bottega handbag gifted to her by Jack is cruelly teased out in what would usually be the turning point of a scene like this.
—David Opie, IndieWire, 15 Feb. 2026
In order for Sophie to live a comfortable life, Araminta hires her as an unpaid maid and treats her pretty cruelly compared to her daughers Posy and Rosamund.
—Lea Veloso, StyleCaster, 29 Jan. 2026
Chicago Tribune, 8 May 2026
Before his afternoon was ended so cruelly, there were positives and negatives to take from his display.
—Simon Johnson, New York Times, 4 May 2026
His ability to endure might, in a perverse way, have been a gift from his father, who, by Hurst’s account, treated him cruelly.
—Chris Wiley, New Yorker, 28 Apr. 2026
Immigrant rights advocates have criticized the practice as inhumane and say ICE has cruelly targeted people following the rules by turning up to their court dates to meet quotas.
—Molly Crane-Newman, New York Daily News, 26 Mar. 2026
This year’s ceremony was not perfect, of course — there were some sound-production issues, there were some presenters with milquetoast bits (as always), and a few winners were played off the stage with cruelly abrupt music cues.
—Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 16 Mar. 2026
As a young schoolboy, Davidson was often cruelly stigmatized because no one had bothered to diagnose his disorder.
—Baz Bamigboye, Deadline, 23 Feb. 2026
The obvious price gap between her Zara dress and the Bottega handbag gifted to her by Jack is cruelly teased out in what would usually be the turning point of a scene like this.
—David Opie, IndieWire, 15 Feb. 2026
In order for Sophie to live a comfortable life, Araminta hires her as an unpaid maid and treats her pretty cruelly compared to her daughers Posy and Rosamund.
—Lea Veloso, StyleCaster, 29 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cruelly
Adverb
-
These are difficult times and the pressure is mounting for Wolves to act ruthlessly.—
Steve Madeley,
New York Times,
3 May 2026
-
Millions of Germans joined the audience for the Nazi play, in which Hitler played the glorious Leader and the regime ruled ruthlessly while spinning stories about its own rectitude.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
27 Apr. 2026
Adverb
-
The bulk of people experiencing emergency levels of hunger live in Haiti’s northwest region, including Artibonite, which gangs have mercilessly attacked in recent years, razing communities and destroying farmland.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
16 Apr. 2026
-
The fans mercilessly booed Shohei Ohtani, who turned down $700 million from the Blue Jays to take $700 million from the Dodgers, and outfielder Kyle Tucker, who turned down $350 million (over 10 years) from the Blue Jays to take $240 million (over four years) from the Dodgers.—
Bill Shaikin,
Los Angeles Times,
7 Apr. 2026
Adverb
-
Victim Nyron Shaw’s father said the driver who mowed his son down last year in Ocean Hill a day before Independence Day should face the maximum penalty for allegedly driving twice the speed limit and heartlessly taking off, leaving his son to die.—
Nicholas Williams,
New York Daily News,
8 Apr. 2026
-
In the process, Joel heartlessly killed some innocent people, including medical professionals.—
EW.com,
EW.com,
26 Aug. 2025
Adverb
-
The first hour, set at a resort that’s like a singles cruise through the Twilight Zone (or Bachelor in Paradise beamed in from a brutal alternate universe), contains some of the most pitilessly funny scenes of the filmmaker’s career.—
A.A. Dowd,
Vulture,
24 Oct. 2025
Adverb
-
The heartbroken mother of a 15-year-old boy who was beaten and fatally shot inside a Queens park as dozens of teens callously filmed the slaying on their phones condemned his killer — and those who did nothing but watch him die.—
Kerry Burke,
New York Daily News,
18 Apr. 2026
-
Marley’s level of fame and influence meant that, after his death at 36, his legacy, his spirit, his brand was to be shaped by a record industry that could be callously indifferent to truth or quality at the expense of revenue.—
Eric Harvey,
Pitchfork,
18 Jan. 2026
Adverb
-
Building Alligator Alcatraz and being proud of treating people inhumanely while at the same time stealing money for his charity is disgusting.—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
25 Mar. 2026
-
The oversight tour came after activists alleged detainees were being treated inhumanely at the facility.—
Tim Dunn,
Boston Herald,
14 Jan. 2026
Adverb
-
But Starmer has been reluctant to reopen a debate that bitterly divided the country.—
Jill Lawless,
Fortune,
11 May 2026
-
Several thousand navvies worked on the railway, living in makeshift camps, and many died in accidents, or from exposure and disease in the bitterly cold winters.—
The Week UK,
TheWeek,
3 May 2026
Adverb
-
Yet, since the post went up, some people have unkindly critiqued her cheeks, nose, chin and complexion, while others wonder what the fuss is all about.—
Lisa Gutierrez,
Kansas City Star,
26 Feb. 2026
-
Tabloids and magazines regularly reported on the state of the relationship, often unkindly.—
Culture Critic,
Los Angeles Times,
13 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Cruelly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cruelly. Accessed 13 May. 2026.
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