1
as in brutal
having or showing the desire to inflict severe pain and suffering on others
a cruel dictator who tortured anyone who dared to speak out against him cruel and unusual punishments are forbidden by the U.S. Constitution
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in harsh
difficult to endure
the cruel climate of the Arctic
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in painful
hard to accept or bear especially emotionally
the cruel situation of being orphaned at an early age
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4
as in malicious
having or showing a desire to cause someone pain or suffering for the sheer enjoyment of it
the bully was fond of making cruel little jabs at his victim's sore points
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in cruelty
disposition to willfully inflict pain and suffering on others
far from being healers, the doctors in the Nazi death camps were notable for their senseless cruelness
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of cruel
Stephanie Dillon, Rolling Stone, 23 May 2025
Culture war is the very point of the MAGA AI slop the platform traffics in and the viscerally cruel White House X account.
—Charlie Warzel, The Atlantic, 23 May 2025
Scheifele’s emotional and inspirational decision to play mere hours after his father’s unexpected death — to play for his dad, to play because of his dad — ended in cruel fashion, with Scheifele helpless in the penalty box.
—Mark Lazerus, New York Times, 18 May 2025
At first the program seems to be benign, but Hayakawa’s film steadily reveals how the policy thrives on the cruel capitalist tenet that people are disposable.
—Lovia Gyarkye, HollywoodReporter, 17 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for cruel
Adjective
Most people don’t wake up deciding to become cruel.
—Stephanie Dillon, Rolling Stone, 23 May 2025
Culture war is the very point of the MAGA AI slop the platform traffics in and the viscerally cruel White House X account.
—Charlie Warzel, The Atlantic, 23 May 2025
Scheifele’s emotional and inspirational decision to play mere hours after his father’s unexpected death — to play for his dad, to play because of his dad — ended in cruel fashion, with Scheifele helpless in the penalty box.
—Mark Lazerus, New York Times, 18 May 2025
At first the program seems to be benign, but Hayakawa’s film steadily reveals how the policy thrives on the cruel capitalist tenet that people are disposable.
—Lovia Gyarkye, HollywoodReporter, 17 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for cruel
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cruel
Adjective
-
Lori survives the brutal events of prom night, but not without a fight.—
Jane LaCroix,
People.com,
24 May 2025
-
Would a Venezuelan contestant who rolled off her log need to use her airline miles when forcibly flown to the waiting arms of Maduro’s brutal regime?—
Pat Beall,
Sun Sentinel,
23 May 2025
Adjective
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Though Nicole reserves her harshest jabs for Jorgeous, the real heat is between Tina and Mistress.—
Chris Feil,
Vulture,
23 May 2025
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Padilla had harsh comments for the president and the GOP in a statement Thursday after the House vote.—
David Lightman,
Sacbee.com,
23 May 2025
Adjective
-
Their boyfriends, meanwhile, suffer the painful indignities of paper cutters, buzzsaws, and other sharp objects.—
Randall Colburn,
EW.com,
23 May 2025
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Ornstein: United were budgeting for no European football next season, Joseph, and therefore last night would have been extremely painful but not a complete shock.—
David Ornstein,
New York Times,
22 May 2025
Adjective
-
Enhances visibility and control of network traffic and user activities and detects and blocks malicious activities.—
Mickey Singh,
Forbes.com,
23 May 2025
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The malicious URLs outputted in the response are in clickable form, meaning all a user has to do is click one to be taken to a malicious site.—
Dan Goodin,
ArsTechnica,
23 May 2025
Noun
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That's why the spectacular cruelty with which the cuts were carried out tanked Musk's personal brand and triggered Trump's inexorable decline in approval.—
Newsweek Staff,
MSNBC Newsweek,
30 May 2025
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Currently there are no comprehensive animal cruelty laws in China, which experts say has created a culture of impunity among cat torturers.—
Rebecca Wright,
CNN Money,
30 May 2025
Adjective
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The original 2006 film, which was adapted from Lauren Weisberger’s book of the same name, starred Meryl Streep as the powerful Miranda Priestley, Anne Hathaway as fashion newbie Andy Sachs, Emily Blunt as vicious assistant Emily and Stanley Tucci as Miranda’s right hand man Nigel.—
Rachel McRady,
People.com,
23 May 2025
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The synopsis reads: Prom season at Shadyside High is underway and the school’s wolfpack of It Girls is busy with its usual sweet and vicious campaigns for the crown.—
DeVonne Goode,
Parents,
22 May 2025
Adjective
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This is a time for doing the tough, often unglamorous job of making the city function for all New Yorkers.—
Scott Stringer,
New York Daily News,
3 June 2025
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Every day, Russia gives new reasons for tougher sanctions and stronger support for our defense.—
David Brennan,
ABC News,
3 June 2025
Adjective
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In court proceedings in the years to follow, many of Gabriel’s family members, including his siblings Virginia and Ezequiel, testified about the torturous abuse the child experienced at the hands of his mother and her boyfriend.—
Yasmeen Hamadeh,
People.com,
24 May 2025
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Smith's lawyers filed a lawsuit along with eight other death row inmates challenge Tennessee’s new protocol, saying there is a high risk of torturous death.—
Fernando Cervantes Jr,
USA Today,
23 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Cruel.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cruel. Accessed 6 Jun. 2025.
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