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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
His baptism at the major league level has been a cruel joke.
—
Tony Blengino, Forbes.com, 3 Apr. 2025
Tiger Woods played a cruel joke on those disappointed by his absence in the Masters on Tuesday, using April Fools’ Day as a way to troll fans over his most recent injury.
—Paulina Dedaj, FOXNews.com, 1 Apr. 2025
That the leader of a notoriously cruel occupying power would have shown such compassion for a militant rebel strains credulity and defies the historical record.
—Judith Shulevitz, The Atlantic, 1 Apr. 2025
What's particularly cruel about that reality is that after years of dealing with questions about his weight, the former Duke Blue Devil star played a career-high 70 games in 2023-24.
—Bobby Krivitsky, Forbes.com, 1 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for cruel
Tony Blengino, Forbes.com, 3 Apr. 2025
Tiger Woods played a cruel joke on those disappointed by his absence in the Masters on Tuesday, using April Fools’ Day as a way to troll fans over his most recent injury.
—Paulina Dedaj, FOXNews.com, 1 Apr. 2025
That the leader of a notoriously cruel occupying power would have shown such compassion for a militant rebel strains credulity and defies the historical record.
—Judith Shulevitz, The Atlantic, 1 Apr. 2025
What's particularly cruel about that reality is that after years of dealing with questions about his weight, the former Duke Blue Devil star played a career-high 70 games in 2023-24.
—Bobby Krivitsky, Forbes.com, 1 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for cruel
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cruel
Adjective
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But graduating in 2009 meant stepping into a brutal job market during the Great Recession.—
William Jones,
USA Today,
19 Apr. 2025
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At times brutal and always volatile, the album functions as a sort of electro-shock therapy applied from the shoulders down, layering hard beats, ambient whorls, and nervous acid ticks to trigger a state of full-body rapture.—
Jazz Monroe,
Pitchfork,
18 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Hope reigns even in this harsh political climate we Americans are now experiencing.—
Bea L. Hines,
Miami Herald,
17 Apr. 2025
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With harsh conditions and adversaries threatening to end the Dutton legacy, Spencer (Brandon Sklenar) embarks on an arduous journey home, racing against time to save his family in Montana.—
Katie Campione,
Deadline,
16 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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This is especially painful for individuals who are approaching Medicare eligibility, as a conversion might result in substantially higher premiums for Medicare Part B and Part D prescription coverage.—
Darla Mercado, CFP®,
CNBC,
17 Apr. 2025
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But amidst this painful reality, a story rooted in joy, agency, and radical self-determination is emerging.—
Stephanie Long,
Essence,
17 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Time to update: Apple has discovered hackers exploiting an iOS bug via malicious media files.—
Michael Kan,
PC Magazine,
16 Apr. 2025
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These emails might include malicious links designed to install malware or steal login information.—
Kurt Knutsson, CyberGuy Report,
FOXNews.com,
16 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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This was a vicious weaponization of your government.—
Thomas G. Moukawsher,
MSNBC Newsweek,
17 Apr. 2025
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Shauna may be the vicious Antler Queen now, but Lottie also played a role in Mari’s death.—
Jackie Strause,
HollywoodReporter,
15 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Over the next two years, Muhammad rang up five more victories against progressively tougher competition.—
Trent Reinsmith,
Forbes.com,
15 Apr. 2025
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On the other side, the Grizzlies had an even tougher time with Curry, who finished with 52 points on 16-of-31 shooting.—
Anthony Slater,
New York Times,
14 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Before embarking on an NBA career that's already filled with exhilarating highs and torturous lows, Pritchard helped lead the Oregon Ducks to their first Final Four appearance since the inaugural NCAA men's basketball tournament.—
Bobby Krivitsky,
Forbes.com,
16 Apr. 2025
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This is like one of Larry David's torturous self-debates on Curb Your Enthusiasm, but without his perverse genius, his wheedling, preening hostility.—
Tom Gliatto,
People.com,
26 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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The antisemitic charge is a slur in its own right, tainting a broad range of institutions with a single hateful brush.—
Jonathan Zimmerman,
New York Daily News,
14 Apr. 2025
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Prater, a graduate student in her first season with the Bulldogs, appeared to disable her comment section on some of her Instagram posts after facing an influx of hateful messages following the devastating injury Watkins suffered in the first half of their second round game.—
Paulina Dedaj,
FOXNews.com,
26 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Cruel.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cruel. Accessed 23 Apr. 2025.
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