Definitions

cruel

[kroo-uhl] / ˈkru əl /

ADJECTIVE

vicious, pitiless; causing pain

Synonyms

STRONGEST

atrocious barbarous bitter brutal callous cold-blooded evil harsh hateful heartless inhuman inhumane merciless painful relentless ruthless sadistic spiteful tyrannical unkind vicious wicked

WEAK

bestial bloodthirsty brutish degenerate demoniac depraved excruciating ferocious fierce flinty hard hard-hearted hellish implacable inexorable malevolent monstrous pernicious poignant rancorous revengeful sinful unfeeling unnatural unrelenting vengeful virulent

Antonyms

STRONGEST

compassionate considerate decent easy feeling friendly gentle giving good helpful humane kind merciful mild moral nice pleasant pleasing polite sympathetic

WEAK

charitable thoughtful uncruel

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

But Jerry wants in his sputtering way to make amends to his brother for the cruel things he did to him when they were younger.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 3, 2026

It was a cruel end to the defender's first European final.

From BBC • May 30, 2026

She does, however, use her telekinetic talents to roast her cruel classmates with apparent glee.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 29, 2026

They say wild animals shouldn’t be taken out of their natural habitat; capybaras love water, mud, and grass, and it’s cruel to take them away from it.

From Slate • May 27, 2026

That sweet mule Lucky Pete must have slipped cruel Flora’s rope and run off to celebrate his freedom.

From "The Detective's Assistant" by Kate Hannigan

Vocabulary lists containing cruel

Schooled

Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!

Messenger

Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!

"Seeking Freedom"

Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!