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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2
as in harsh
difficult to endure
the cruel climate of the Arctic
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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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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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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of cruel
The cruel irony here is that Trump has access to and the ability to command the production of the best intelligence and analysis that money can buy.
—
New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 20 Feb. 2025
She has since been deported to a notoriously cruel women’s penal colony in Zelenokumsk, southern Russia.
—Ivana Kottasová, CNN, 16 Feb. 2025
Faced with a ticking clock, a cruel death awaits him should his fellow countrymen fail to pay his ransom soon; but within the confines of his cell, Cervantes discovers a surprising refuge – the art of storytelling.
—Leo Barraclough, Variety, 14 Feb. 2025
The current government’s purposeful misrepresentation and defamation of DEI in such a comprehensively cruel and malicious manner deserves nothing less than personal and communal outrage and resistance.
—Dr. Tony Lux, Chicago Tribune, 8 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for cruel
New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 20 Feb. 2025
She has since been deported to a notoriously cruel women’s penal colony in Zelenokumsk, southern Russia.
—Ivana Kottasová, CNN, 16 Feb. 2025
Faced with a ticking clock, a cruel death awaits him should his fellow countrymen fail to pay his ransom soon; but within the confines of his cell, Cervantes discovers a surprising refuge – the art of storytelling.
—Leo Barraclough, Variety, 14 Feb. 2025
The current government’s purposeful misrepresentation and defamation of DEI in such a comprehensively cruel and malicious manner deserves nothing less than personal and communal outrage and resistance.
—Dr. Tony Lux, Chicago Tribune, 8 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for cruel
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cruel
Adjective
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The free chow was served daily, except on Fridays, and continued through a brutal period of industrywide cost-cutting that persists to this day.—
Katcy Stephan,
Variety,
1 Mar. 2025
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England’s Champions Trophy campaign finally came to a brutal end when they were beaten by South Africa in Karachi by seven wickets with almost 21 overs to spare.—
Tim Ellis,
Forbes,
1 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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The 79-year-old Oscar winner embraces the challenging role of the Dutton family matriarch alongside co-star Harrison Ford, confronting everything from mountain lions to the harsh realities of frontier life.—
Holly Williams,
CBS News,
28 Feb. 2025
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Her lyric vocal writing contends with harsh reality, but her style is never far from profound rapture.—
Mark Swed,
Los Angeles Times,
28 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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Whether a client hires a single architect to design a house or a team to work on a downtown plan with multiple community stakeholders, the architect-client relationship is rarely one of a painful struggle.—
Matt Shaw,
Forbes,
28 Feb. 2025
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Throughout her childhood, Dee Dee subjected her Gypsy-Rose to years of painful medical procedures that were not needed.—
Angel Saunders,
People.com,
28 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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As the technology behind deepfakes advances, the need to fight their malicious usage has never been greater.—
Rohan Pinto,
Forbes,
27 Feb. 2025
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Now, Microsoft has identified a resurfaced malware that has returned after years, equipped with new malicious capabilities, including stealing sensitive information such as digital wallets and data from the legitimate Notes app.—
Kurt Knutsson, CyberGuy Report,
Fox News,
27 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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More than 80 women went public with horrific tales of his brutal, coercive and punishing tactics, including launching vicious, career-crippling smear campaigns against those who eluded him, from Mira Sorvino to Ashley Judd.—
Scott Huver,
The Hollywood Reporter,
28 Feb. 2025
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Rushdie has since spoken out about the stabbing Rushdie, 77, testified in the Chautauqua County, New York trial and detailed the vicious attack that upended his life.—
Alana Wise,
NPR,
21 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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Ties during Trump’s first term One of the hallmarks of the first Trump Administration was a tougher stance towards China compared to his predecessors, through tit-for-tat tariffs and an Indo-Pacific strategy that aimed to curb Beijing’s growing influence in the Western Pacific.—
Chad de Guzman,
TIME,
27 Feb. 2025
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How to Bet Timberwolves vs. Lakers Following up a game like Tuesday's would be tough for the Wolves under any circumstances, but with Edwards battling a calf injury and DiVincenzo potentially sidelined, beating the Lakers in L.A. will be that much more difficult.—
David Faris,
Newsweek,
27 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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The Lombardi is more Holy Grail than trophy, the end of what can only be described as a torturous emotional pilgrimage.—
Ali Watkins,
New York Times,
8 Feb. 2025
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Getting rid of the death penalty also would bring a close to these torturous years of appeals for so many of us.—
Yaakov Katz,
Newsweek,
7 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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Mayo tweeted four different screenshots appearing to come from his Instagram direct messages, all expressing hateful words at the transfer guard, following the Jayhawks’ 78-73 defeat to Texas Tech.—
Shreyas Laddha,
Kansas City Star,
2 Mar. 2025
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The students were protesting the expulsion of two students who stormed a Columbia University classroom in January and allegedly threw around flyers filled with hateful speech.—
Stepheny Price,
Fox News,
28 Feb. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Cruel.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cruel. Accessed 5 Mar. 2025.
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