cruel
KROO-uhl
Cruel (adj) means Deliberately causing pain or suffering to others, without mercy. Example: “Some children can be cruel when they tease a classmate about his clothes.”
adj
1
Deliberately causing pain or suffering to others, without mercy.
"The supervisor was very cruel to Josh, as he would always give Josh the hardest, most degrading work he could find."
"Some children can be cruel when they tease a classmate about his clothes."
"It was cruel to leave the dog outside in the storm."
"History remembers him as a cruel and ruthless ruler."
How to use cruel
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishCausing pain on purpose, without any pity.
Common pairings
cruel and unusual
cruel joke
cruel fate
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Word forms
- Third person singular
- cruels
- Past tense
- crueled, cruelled
- Comparative
- crueler, crueller, more cruel
- Superlative
- cruelest, cruellest, most cruel
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
Some children can be _____ when they tease a classmate about his clothes.
Etymology
From Old French cruel, from Latin crūdēlis ("harsh, severe"), related to crūdus ("raw"), the same root as "crude."
Synonyms
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Related words
Rhymes for cruel
See all rhymes for cruel →Frequently asked questions
What does “cruel” mean?
The word “cruel” means deliberately causing pain or suffering to others, without mercy. In plain terms, causing pain on purpose, without any pity.
How do you pronounce “cruel”?
“Cruel” is pronounced KROO-uhl (/ˈkɹuːəl/ in IPA).
How do you use “cruel” in a sentence?
Here is “cruel” used in a sentence: “It was cruel to leave the dog outside in the storm.”
What is another word for “cruel”?
Words with a similar meaning to “cruel” include barbarous, bowelless, brutal, compassionless, demonic and diabolic.
What is the opposite of “cruel”?
The opposite of “cruel” — its antonyms — are kindly and merciful.
What part of speech is “cruel”?
“Cruel” is an adjective.
Where does the word “cruel” come from?
The word “cruel” comes from Latin. From Old French cruel, from Latin crūdēlis ("harsh, severe"), related to crūdus ("raw"), the same root as "crude.".
Is “cruel” a common word?
“Cruel” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B1 level.
What is the difference between cruel and mean?
Mean describes unkind or spiteful behaviour that is often small-scale and everyday. Cruel is stronger, describing a deliberate intent to cause pain or suffering without mercy, which makes it far more serious than merely being mean.
What is the difference between cruel and harsh?
Harsh describes something severe, rough, or unpleasant, and it does not always involve intent, such as harsh weather or harsh criticism. Cruel specifically implies deliberately causing pain or suffering to others without mercy, so it centres on intent and lack of compassion.
What are common collocations with the word cruel?
Cruel often appears in phrases such as "cruel and unusual," "cruel joke," "cruel twist of fate," and "cruel to be kind." It also pairs naturally with words like treatment, punishment, and intentions.
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