as in brutality
disposition to willfully inflict pain and suffering on others
centuries after he ravaged Europe, Attila the Hun remains notorious for his cruelty
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of cruelty
The trainer, Kwong (Tony) Chun Sit, 54, was convicted on 11 felony counts of animal cruelty, seven misdemeanor counts of attempting to destroy evidence and one misdemeanor count of destroying evidence, the Orange County district attorney’s office said in a press release.
—
Seamus Bozeman
follow,
Los Angeles Times,
18 June 2026
And to keep fighting to fulfill the promise of this nation, even in the face of cruelty and bitter disappointment.
—
Sara Tenenbaum,
CBS News,
18 June 2026
The film, which is inspired by true events, explores violence among children as a reflection of a society where cruelty is increasingly witnessed and normalized.
—
Leo Barraclough,
Variety,
18 June 2026
His jealousy provokes an act of betrayal and cruelty.
—
Stephanie Zacharek,
Time,
18 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for cruelty
Seamus Bozeman
follow,
Los Angeles Times,
18 June 2026
And to keep fighting to fulfill the promise of this nation, even in the face of cruelty and bitter disappointment.
—
Sara Tenenbaum,
CBS News,
18 June 2026
The film, which is inspired by true events, explores violence among children as a reflection of a society where cruelty is increasingly witnessed and normalized.
—
Leo Barraclough,
Variety,
18 June 2026
His jealousy provokes an act of betrayal and cruelty.
—
Stephanie Zacharek,
Time,
18 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for cruelty
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cruelty
Noun
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Unfortunately, Florida’s leaders seem to have set their sights on any reminder that the state’s historic brutality should still inspire action today.
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More than a decade later, Ike Barinholtz is opening up about the Police Academy reboot that was scrapped amid a rise in lethal police brutality.
Noun
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According to Reuters, the United States and European Union raised concerns that the resolution could be interpreted as creating a hierarchy among crimes against humanity by treating some atrocities as more serious than others.
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The genocidal atrocities uncovered in Bucha were televised internationally.
Cite this Entry
“Cruelty.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cruelty. Accessed 26 Jun. 2026.
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