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cruelly

  • a word derived from cruel.
    cruel
    adjective
    willfully or knowingly causing pain or distress to others.

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.

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How can a black boy be fearless in America, Bernadette asks, and answers: What follows for John is a warped upbringing of parental favoritism mixed with cruelly rigorous training.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 14, 2026

Japan had its hottest summer on record last year and in recent weeks many places have had "kokushobi", a new official classification meaning "cruelly hot days".

From Barron's ● Aug. 1, 2026

Am I so cruelly esoteric that mainstream ideas of gayness do nothing for me?

From Salon ● Jun. 18, 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

I lay still, thinking how mean it was of me to reject her so cruelly, but I also knew that I was incapable of answering her any other way.

From "The Diary of a Young Girl" by Anne Frank