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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of cruelty
Boelter has been charged with state and federal crimes, including murder and animal cruelty, and has pleaded not guilty.
—
Ivan Pereira, ABC News, 11 Sep. 2025
Even the most well-meaning of people have their good intentions curdle into cruelty when reflected through the prism of corporate life.
—Zachary Lee, IndieWire, 10 Sep. 2025
But that tale of someone brought into a world that treated him with cruelty and contempt never left him.
—David Fear, Rolling Stone, 9 Sep. 2025
It’s revealed that Sklar was Lori’s inspiration as a child to become an artist, only to crush that spark a dozen or so years later with stinging cruelty.
—David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 9 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for cruelty
Ivan Pereira, ABC News, 11 Sep. 2025
Even the most well-meaning of people have their good intentions curdle into cruelty when reflected through the prism of corporate life.
—Zachary Lee, IndieWire, 10 Sep. 2025
But that tale of someone brought into a world that treated him with cruelty and contempt never left him.
—David Fear, Rolling Stone, 9 Sep. 2025
It’s revealed that Sklar was Lori’s inspiration as a child to become an artist, only to crush that spark a dozen or so years later with stinging cruelty.
—David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 9 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for cruelty
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cruelty
Noun
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More Ethan Miller/Getty Images Their history is defined by brutality.—
Andrew Ravens,
MSNBC Newsweek,
12 Sep. 2025
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For a country still reckoning with the brutality of its dark past, the trial of several high ranking military officers in a civilian court is a singular achievement.—
Adriana Carranca,
Time,
12 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Graphic videos of both atrocities spread quickly and widely online this week, appearing in people's social media feeds, often with little-to-no warning.—
Charles Trepany,
USA Today,
12 Sep. 2025
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Critics have also pointed to the fact that Japanese educational syllabi have long glossed over wartime atrocities like the Nanjing Massacre.—
Miranda Jeyaretnam,
Time,
10 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Cruelty.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cruelty. Accessed 18 Sep. 2025.
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