Thesaurus

cruel

adjective

Synonyms and Antonyms of cruel

1 having or showing the desire to inflict severe pain and suffering on others

a cruel dictator who imprisoned anyone who dared to speak out against him

Cruel and unusual punishments are forbidden by the U.S. Constitution.

Synonyms of cruel

atrocious, barbaric, barbarous, brutal, brute, butcherly, fiendish, heartless, inhuman, inhumane, sadistic, savage, truculent, vicious, wanton

Words Related to cruel

hard-hearted, ironhearted, merciless, pitiless, ruthless, stonyhearted, unfeeling

fell, ferocious, grim

bloodthirsty, cutthroat, murderous, sanguinary, sanguine

catty, despiteful, hateful, malevolent, malicious, malign, malignant, mean, nasty, spiteful, vindictive

draconian, draconic, hardhanded, harsh, heavy-handed, oppressive

Phrases Synonymous with cruel

red in tooth and claw

Near Antonyms of cruel

tender, warm, warmhearted

charitable, clement, lenient, merciful, pitying

pacific, peaceable, peaceful

Antonyms of cruel

benign, benignant, compassionate, good-hearted, humane, kind, kindhearted, sympathetic, tenderhearted

2 difficult to endure

the cruel climate of the Arctic

Synonyms of cruel

bitter, brutal, burdensome, excruciating, grievous, grim, hard, harsh, heavy, inhuman, murderous, onerous, oppressive, rough, rugged, searing, severe, stiff, tough, trying

Words Related to cruel

austere, bleak, comfortless, discomforting, forbidding, inhospitable, spartan, uncomfortable

rigorous, strict, stringent

agonizing, heartbreaking, heartrending, painful, wretched

crushing, grinding, overwhelming, wearing

insufferable, insupportable, intolerable, unbearable, unendurable

harrowing, tortuous

bad, disagreeable, hostile, unfriendly, unpleasant

Near Antonyms of cruel

comfortable, cozy, luxurious, snug

agreeable, friendly, genial, hospitable, pleasant

peaceful, relaxing, reposeful, restful

bearable, endurable, painless, tolerable

balmy, calm, clement, gentle, mild, moderate, temperate

Antonyms of cruel

easy, light, soft

3 hard to accept or bear especially emotionally

the cruel situation of being orphaned at an early age

Synonyms of cruel

afflicting, agonizing, bitter, excruciating, galling, grievous, harrowing, harsh, heartrending, hurtful, painful, tormenting, torturous

Words Related to cruel

insufferable, insupportable, intolerable, unacceptable, unbearable, unendurable, unsupportable

appalling, awful, bad, dire, dreadful, ghastly, horrible, miserable, nasty, rotten, severe, terrible, vile, wretched

acute, extreme, intense, piercing

Near Antonyms of cruel

bearable, endurable, supportable, sustainable, tolerable

livable (also liveable), sufferable, survivable

acceptable, allowable, reasonable

Antonyms of cruel

gratifying, pleasing, sweet

4 having or showing a desire to cause someone pain or suffering for the sheer enjoyment of it

My cat seems cruel when she catches a mouse, but it's her nature.

Synonyms of cruel

catty, despiteful, hateful, malevolent, malicious, malign, malignant, mean, nasty, spiteful, vicious, virulent

Words Related to cruel

devious, scoundrelly, scurvy, snakelike

acrimonious, bitter, envious, jaundiced, jealous, rancorous, resentful, vindictive, vitriolic

contemptuous, deprecating, derogatory, disdainful, disparaging, mean-spirited, obnoxious, opprobrious, scornful, snide, snotty, unkind, unkindly, unloving

baleful, baneful, evil

harsh, hostile, inimical

acrid, caustic, poisonous, scathing, venomous

Near Antonyms of cruel

compassionate, good, good-hearted, kind, kindhearted, kindly, sympathetic, warm, warmhearted

affable, agreeable, amiable, cordial, friendly, genial, gracious, nice, pleasant

affectionate, amorous, sweet, tender, tenderhearted

altruistic, high-minded, humanitarian, magnanimous, noble, philanthropic (also philanthropical)

Antonyms of cruel

benevolent, benign, benignant, loving, unmalicious

Synonym Discussion of cruel

fierce, ferocious, barbarous, savage, cruel mean showing fury or malignity in looks or actions. fierce applies to humans and animals that inspire terror because of their wild and menacing aspect or fury in attack.

- fierce warriors

ferocious implies extreme fierceness and unrestrained violence and brutality.

- a ferocious dog

barbarous implies a ferocity or mercilessness regarded as unworthy of civilized people.

- barbarous treatment of prisoners

savage implies the absence of inhibitions restraining civilized people filled with rage, lust, or other violent passion.

- a savage criminal

cruel implies indifference to suffering and even positive pleasure in inflicting it.

- the cruel jokes of schoolboys

Learn More about cruel

See words that rhyme with cruel Dictionary: Definition of cruel Spanish Central: Translation of cruel Nglish: Translation of cruel for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of cruel for Arabic speakers

Seen and Heard

What made you want to look up cruel? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).

show

WORD OF THE DAY

quail

play

to recoil in dread or terror

Words at Play

Ask the Editors

Word Games