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
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
a cruel twist of fate Hunger is a cruel fact of nature.
Recent Examples on the Web In the lawsuit, Crago alleges prison officials violated his Eighth Amendment protections against cruel and unusual punishment by failing to keep him safe, and his First Amendment rights when Pitz retaliated against him for speaking out. 
Jimmy Jenkins, The Arizona Republic, 14 Sep. 2022 Courts are finding that this is a violation of the Eighth Amendment which prohibits cruel and unusual punishment. Taylor Wilson, USA TODAY, 14 Sep. 2022 Attorneys for Le and Yoo had argued that, partly because of their youth, a life sentence would constitute cruel and unusual punishment barred by the Eighth Amendment. Salvador Rizzo, Washington Post, 12 Sep. 2022 Trips could last for days; it wasn’t considered cruel and unusual punishment to include clubs residing in Maine, Virginia and Ohio in the same league. Mitchell Nathanson, The Conversation, 5 Sep. 2022 Drugs and violence are widespread in Alabama prisons, where conditions are so overcrowded and understaffed that federal authorities filed a lawsuit alleging the state system violates the Constitutional ban on cruel and unusual punishment. al, 1 Sep. 2022 The advocates claim that closing the park is a cruel and unusual punishment because there is a lack of adequate alternatives for those camping there and therefore violates homeless individuals’ Eighth Amendment rights against excessive penalties. Tammy Murga, San Diego Union-Tribune, 30 Aug. 2022 In 2009, two Pelican Bay men in the same solitary unit as McCarthy — Todd Ashker and Danny Troxell — filed a handwritten federal lawsuit claiming their treatment violated the 8th Amendment, which prohibits cruel and unusual punishment. Anita Chabria, Los Angeles Times, 2 Aug. 2022 The Borowitz Report)—In an impassioned plea in open court, lawyers for Steve Bannon argued that imprisoning their client would result in cruel and unusual punishment for those incarcerated with him. Andy Borowitz, The New Yorker, 21 July 2022 See More
Jimmy Jenkins, The Arizona Republic, 14 Sep. 2022 Courts are finding that this is a violation of the Eighth Amendment which prohibits cruel and unusual punishment. Taylor Wilson, USA TODAY, 14 Sep. 2022 Attorneys for Le and Yoo had argued that, partly because of their youth, a life sentence would constitute cruel and unusual punishment barred by the Eighth Amendment. Salvador Rizzo, Washington Post, 12 Sep. 2022 Trips could last for days; it wasn’t considered cruel and unusual punishment to include clubs residing in Maine, Virginia and Ohio in the same league. Mitchell Nathanson, The Conversation, 5 Sep. 2022 Drugs and violence are widespread in Alabama prisons, where conditions are so overcrowded and understaffed that federal authorities filed a lawsuit alleging the state system violates the Constitutional ban on cruel and unusual punishment. al, 1 Sep. 2022 The advocates claim that closing the park is a cruel and unusual punishment because there is a lack of adequate alternatives for those camping there and therefore violates homeless individuals’ Eighth Amendment rights against excessive penalties. Tammy Murga, San Diego Union-Tribune, 30 Aug. 2022 In 2009, two Pelican Bay men in the same solitary unit as McCarthy — Todd Ashker and Danny Troxell — filed a handwritten federal lawsuit claiming their treatment violated the 8th Amendment, which prohibits cruel and unusual punishment. Anita Chabria, Los Angeles Times, 2 Aug. 2022 The Borowitz Report)—In an impassioned plea in open court, lawyers for Steve Bannon argued that imprisoning their client would result in cruel and unusual punishment for those incarcerated with him. Andy Borowitz, The New Yorker, 21 July 2022 See More 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
Kids Definition
cruel
adjective
cru·el ˈkrü-əl
crueler or crueller; cruelest or cruellest
1
: wanting to cause others to suffer
a cruel ruler
2
: causing or helping to cause suffering
cruel punishment
a cruel joke
cruel
adjective
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 Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- brutal
- vicious
- savage
- ruthless
- inhumane
- merciless
- sadistic
- heartless
- barbaric
- inhuman
- barbarous
- murderous
- brute
- ferocious
- oppressive
- atrocious
- harsh
- fiendish
- truculent
- hateful
- wanton
- pitiless
- malicious
- butcherly
- unfeeling
- grim
- vindictive
- spiteful
- fell
- bloodthirsty
- red in tooth and claw
- malevolent
- hard-hearted
- sanguinary
- cutthroat
- malignant
- draconian
- malign
- catty
- nasty
- ironhearted
- mean
- despiteful
- sanguine
- stonyhearted
- draconic
- heavy-handed
- hardhanded
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- humane
- kind
- sympathetic
- compassionate
- benign
- kindhearted
- benignant
- warm
- merciful
- tenderhearted
- lenient
- warmhearted
- charitable
- pitying
- good-hearted
- tender
- peaceful
- clement
- peaceable
- pacific
2
as in harsh
difficult to endure the cruel climate of the Arctic Synonyms & Similar Words
- harsh
- oppressive
- brutal
- tough
- searing
- severe
- hard
- rough
- inhuman
- grim
- trying
- murderous
- painful
- burdensome
- bitter
- onerous
- bleak
- grievous
- heavy
- excruciating
- rugged
- unpleasant
- unbearable
- stiff
- uncomfortable
- inhospitable
- forbidding
- bad
- strict
- hardhanded
- rigorous
- austere
- discomforting
- spartan
- intemperate
- intolerable
- overwhelming
- biting
- stringent
- heartbreaking
- inclement
- agonizing
- comfortless
- crushing
- wretched
- wild
- hostile
- tortuous
- insufferable
- unendurable
- disagreeable
- harrowing
- insupportable
- unfriendly
- grinding
- heartrending
- wearing
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- easy
- soft
- light
- pleasant
- friendly
- agreeable
- luxurious
- comfortable
- hospitable
- genial
- peaceful
- gentle
- cozy
- mild
- tolerable
- bearable
- relaxing
- restful
- moderate
- painless
- calm
- snug
- endurable
- temperate
- balmy
- reposeful
- clement
3
as in painful
hard to accept or bear especially emotionally the cruel situation of being orphaned at an early age Synonyms & Similar Words
- painful
- harsh
- torturous
- horrible
- hurtful
- terrible
- bitter
- awful
- unacceptable
- harrowing
- severe
- grievous
- excruciating
- agonizing
- unbearable
- dreadful
- tormenting
- intolerable
- vile
- bad
- miserable
- galling
- appalling
- extreme
- heartrending
- ghastly
- afflicting
- nasty
- dire
- intense
- wretched
- insufferable
- unendurable
- insupportable
- acute
- unsupportable
- rotten
- piercing
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- sweet
- gratifying
- pleasing
- tolerable
- bearable
- endurable
- sustainable
- acceptable
- reasonable
- survivable
- supportable
- allowable
- livable
- sufferable
- liveable
4
as in vicious
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 Synonyms & Similar Words
- vicious
- malicious
- hateful
- nasty
- spiteful
- bad
- despiteful
- malevolent
- harsh
- bitchy
- malignant
- virulent
- bitter
- malign
- jealous
- evil
- poisonous
- venomous
- catty
- unkind
- vindictive
- mean
- obnoxious
- devious
- hostile
- contemptuous
- unloving
- scoundrelly
- envious
- disdainful
- scornful
- unkindly
- snide
- derogatory
- opprobrious
- resentful
- acrimonious
- disparaging
- mean-spirited
- baneful
- vitriolic
- snakelike
- snotty
- scurvy
- caustic
- rancorous
- baleful
- inimical
- jaundiced
- deprecating
- scathing
- acrid
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- benevolent
- benign
- loving
- kind
- compassionate
- sympathetic
- good
- benignant
- warm
- kindhearted
- sweet
- amiable
- friendly
- pleasant
- gracious
- agreeable
- nice
- kindly
- affectionate
- unmalicious
- humane
- genial
- affable
- amorous
- warmhearted
- good-hearted
- noble
- cordial
- magnanimous
- tender
- altruistic
- tenderhearted
- humanitarian
- philanthropic
- philanthropical
- high-minded
Synonym Chooser
Some common synonyms of cruel are barbarous, ferocious, fierce, and savage. While all these words mean "showing fury or malignity in looks or actions," cruel implies indifference to suffering and even positive pleasure in inflicting it.
the cruel jokes of schoolboys
The synonyms barbarous and cruel are sometimes interchangeable, but barbarous implies a ferocity or mercilessness regarded as unworthy of civilized people.
barbarous treatment of prisoners
While the synonyms ferocious and cruel are close in meaning, ferocious implies extreme fierceness and unrestrained violence and brutality.
a ferocious dog
The meanings of fierce and cruel largely overlap; however, fierce applies to humans and animals that inspire terror because of their wild and menacing aspect or fury in attack.
fierce warriors
Although the words savage and cruel have much in common, savage implies the absence of inhibitions restraining civilized people filled with rage, lust, or other violent passion.
a savage criminal