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
cruelness
noun
Synonyms
Examples of cruel in a Sentence
a cruel twist of fate
Hunger is a cruel fact of nature.
Recent Examples on the Web
This soaring exploration of generational trauma starts with Star, a survivor of the 1864 Sand Creek Massacre, who’s forced to speak English and practice Christianity by the man who goes on to found the notoriously cruel Carlisle Indian Industrial School.
—
Lizz Schumer, People.com, 5 Nov. 2024
Calcutta and appeared as Tony Moss, the cruel, toupeed director of the topless dance revue at the Stardust Casino, in Paul Verhoeven’s Showgirls (1995).
—Mike Barnes, The Hollywood Reporter, 2 Nov. 2024
But at times, there’s a defensive, slightly cruel streak to his patter that can eclipse his better angels (of which there are many) and test the goodwill of those around him.
—Gary Goldstein, Los Angeles Times, 2 Nov. 2024
In what was viewed as a controversial and cruel move, Bad Boy released Smalls’s Ready to Die just a week after Mack’s debut album Project: Funk da World, overshadowing his grand introduction onto the scene.
—Kyndall Cunningham, Vox, 31 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for cruel 
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Lizz Schumer, People.com, 5 Nov. 2024
Calcutta and appeared as Tony Moss, the cruel, toupeed director of the topless dance revue at the Stardust Casino, in Paul Verhoeven’s Showgirls (1995).
—Mike Barnes, The Hollywood Reporter, 2 Nov. 2024
But at times, there’s a defensive, slightly cruel streak to his patter that can eclipse his better angels (of which there are many) and test the goodwill of those around him.
—Gary Goldstein, Los Angeles Times, 2 Nov. 2024
In what was viewed as a controversial and cruel move, Bad Boy released Smalls’s Ready to Die just a week after Mack’s debut album Project: Funk da World, overshadowing his grand introduction onto the scene.
—Kyndall Cunningham, Vox, 31 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for cruel
Dictionary Entries Near cruel
Cite this Entry
“Cruel.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cruel. Accessed 22 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share