cruel

adjective

cru·​el ˈkrü(-ə)l 

crueler or crueller; cruelest or cruellest

1

: disposed to inflict pain or suffering : devoid of humane feelings

a cruel tyrant

has a cruel heart

2

a

: causing or conducive to injury, grief, or pain

a cruel joke

a cruel twist of fate

b

: unrelieved by leniency

cruel punishment

cruelly

ˈkrü-(ə-)lē 

adverb

cruelness noun

Synonyms

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

Choose the Right Synonym for 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

Examples of cruel in a Sentence

a cruel twist of fate

Hunger is a cruel fact of nature.

Recent Examples on the Web

But then perhaps that is her unsatisfying but depressingly undeniable point: there is no challenging minds this small, behaviors this cruel, spirits this mean. —Jessica Kiang, Variety, 30 May 2025

The reason Evin is infamous is because of its terribly cruel high security detention centers that are poorly supervised by the Prison Chief. —Jeff Kaufman, Time, 30 May 2025

Nash even went so far as to post a picture of Rowling on her Instagram story (and specifically, the cruel photo that the author posted to X after the ruling was announced). —James Factora, Them., 28 May 2025

But as much as this ragtag gang might try to insulate itself from the world, reality finds cruel ways of biting back. —Thomas Page, CNN Money, 24 May 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Latin crudelis, from crudus — see crude entry 1

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing cruel

• cruel and unusual punishment
• cruel blow

Rhymes for cruel

• dual
• duel
• fuel
• gruel
• jewel
• newel
• accrual
• nonfuel
• refuel
• renewal
• biofuel
• contextual

Kids Definition

cruel

adjective

cru·​el ˈkrü-əl 

crueler or crueller; cruelest or cruellest

1

: ready to hurt others : without humane feelings

a cruel ruler

2

a

: causing or helping to cause suffering

a cruel joke

b

: showing no mercy

cruel punishment

cruelly

ˈkrü-ə-lē 

adverb

cruelness noun