Meaning & use

cruel

adjective·Everyday

Deliberately causing pain or suffering to others without feeling sympathy or remorse.

See it in a sentence

It was cruel of him to mock the new student's accent in front of everyone.

The cruel dictator ruled through fear, imprisoning anyone who dared to disagree.

A note on using this word

Cruel implies intent to cause harm, distinguishing it from words like 'harsh,' which can be unintentional.

Words with a similar meaning

heartlessbrutal

Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.

Words with an opposite meaning

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