cruel
adjective
willfully or knowingly causing pain or distress to others.
cruelly
-
a word derived from
cruel.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Am I so cruelly esoteric that mainstream ideas of gayness do nothing for me?
From Salon ● Jun. 18, 2026
"Last month, 60 Minutes lost its DNA when our entire senior leadership and two of our best on-air correspondents were cruelly fired without cause," Pelley wrote in a statement, cited in US media reports.
From Barron's ● Jun. 3, 2026
For many cancer patients and their loved ones, it’s easier to expect the worst and hope for the best than it is to expect the best, only to be cruelly disappointed.
From Slate ● Mar. 29, 2026
“The ophthalmologist did it very cruelly and quickly,” she recalled in an interview with the Foundation for Fighting Blindness, where she long served on the board and was chairwoman at the time of her death.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 12, 2026
I felt the injustice of my father's treatment, who fondly indulged Laertes while cruelly denying me.
From "Ophelia" by Lisa Klein
