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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of cruel
And that’s especially true when a demon as insidious as Doma or brutal as Akaza steps into frame (special shout-out to the deliciously cruel and twisted sympathy Doma shares for his opponent Shinobu Kocho during their fight).
—
David Opie, IndieWire, 10 Sep. 2025
That's really frightening because people can be really cruel and that's dangerous.
—Brian Truitt, USA Today, 9 Sep. 2025
The affection Agnes holds for her children and the anger aimed at her husband, not to mention a world cruel enough to rob her of a child, are both tuned with precision to crack your noble heart.
—David Fear, Rolling Stone, 8 Sep. 2025
The Great War, however, turned death into something sudden, cruel and unknowable, as young men—often barely into adulthood—were slaughtered on the front line, their deaths reported to their families days or weeks later.
—Alice Vernon
september 8, Literary Hub, 8 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for cruel
David Opie, IndieWire, 10 Sep. 2025
That's really frightening because people can be really cruel and that's dangerous.
—Brian Truitt, USA Today, 9 Sep. 2025
The affection Agnes holds for her children and the anger aimed at her husband, not to mention a world cruel enough to rob her of a child, are both tuned with precision to crack your noble heart.
—David Fear, Rolling Stone, 8 Sep. 2025
The Great War, however, turned death into something sudden, cruel and unknowable, as young men—often barely into adulthood—were slaughtered on the front line, their deaths reported to their families days or weeks later.
—Alice Vernon
september 8, Literary Hub, 8 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for cruel
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cruel
Adjective
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Take the quiz here … KICKED TO THE CURB – Super Bowl hero cut from 49ers roster after brutal Week 1 performance.—
,
FOXNews.com,
11 Sep. 2025
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While released, Horton committed another horrific crime – a brutal home invasion and rape.—
Briah Lumpkins,
Charlotte Observer,
11 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Oysters inspired the researchers because of their remarkable ability to attach to rocks, bridge pilings, or even each other in the harsh underwater environment.—
Christopher McFadden,
Interesting Engineering,
13 Sep. 2025
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But the rules of the Long Walk are harsh and the stakes could not be higher.—
Paul Tassi,
Forbes.com,
13 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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In other words, the more painful the cry sounded, the warmer the listener's face became—and the effect was the same for both men and women.—
Daniella Gray,
MSNBC Newsweek,
16 Sep. 2025
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The Queen could have surgery to remove bunions, but has been warned against it as the surgery is too painful.—
Lizzie Lanuza,
StyleCaster,
16 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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In addition, users will be able to permanently block a user from quote-sharing any of their posts, as a hedge against malicious dunks.—
PC Magazine,
PC Magazine,
13 Sep. 2025
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That means malicious software is getting smarter, faster and harder to detect.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
13 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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As and when evidence against that narrative comes out, either via six monthly reports or from some other source, the crash in the stock price will be more vicious than otherwise.—
Shivaram Rajgopal,
Forbes.com,
15 Sep. 2025
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In these homes, the conflict between budgeting and feeding kids well creates huge psychological stress for parents, which can lead to anxiety and depression, fueling the vicious cycle of stress and unhealthy eating, Beresin said.—
Yasmin Tayag,
The Atlantic,
14 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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The backcourt duo of Courtney Williams and Natisha Hiedeman, also known as the StudBudz, are shifty, tough shot-making guards who can get hot in a hurry.—
Nathan Canilao,
Mercury News,
13 Sep. 2025
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And that’s tough on those guys.—
Bill Plunkett,
Oc Register,
13 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Within the film’s compact running time, writer-director Ben Hania traces the fraught and torturous hours of January 29, 2024, when Palestine Red Crescent volunteers in the West Bank tried to calm a terrified 6-year-old girl and get an ambulance to her in Gaza.—
Sheri Linden,
HollywoodReporter,
3 Sep. 2025
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From the almost humorous to the truly torturous, being plunked into unknown wilderness in total isolation—which is what happens on Alone—results in all manner of strange mental phenomenon.—
Woniya Thibeault,
Outside,
26 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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Political analyst Matthew Dowd took to MSNBC to say that Kirk’s hateful words had led to hateful actions.—
Editorial,
Boston Herald,
12 Sep. 2025
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In other words, Cartman is irate that Trump has stolen his hateful, vindictive shtick.—
Nick Marx,
The Conversation,
11 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Cruel.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cruel. Accessed 17 Sep. 2025.
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