cruelty
Americannoun
-
the state or quality of being cruel.
- Synonyms:
- atrocity, inhumanity, barbarity, ruthlessness, brutality, harshness
-
cruel disposition or conduct.
- Antonyms:
- kindness
-
a cruel act.
- Antonyms:
- kindness
-
Law. conduct by a spouse that causes grievous bodily harm or mental suffering.
noun
-
deliberate infliction of pain or suffering
-
the quality or characteristic of being cruel
-
a cruel action
-
law conduct that causes danger to life or limb or a threat to bodily or mental health, on proof of which a decree of divorce may be granted
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of cruelty
1175–1225; Middle English cruelte < Anglo-French, Old French < Latin crūdēlitāt- (stem of crūdēlitās ). See cruel, -ity
Explanation
Cruelty is a characteristic of deliberately causing someone pain. Years of cruelty by their leaders can cause citizens to rise up together and revolt. Keeping a dog tied up outside all day and all night is animal cruelty, while kids' endless bullying of a classmate is another kind of cruelty. In both examples, people act in a coldhearted way that causes another being to feel terrible. The Latin root of cruelty is crudelis, "rude, unfeeling, or hard-hearted," which is related to crudus, "rough, raw, or bloody," the root of crude.
Vocabulary lists containing cruelty
Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe
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Real-Life Superheroes
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The Subtle Knife
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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.
"It's absolutely horrific, a real unique form of cruelty to hold something like this over somebody's head," she said.
From BBC • Jun. 15, 2026
The LAPD’s Mathes said that initiative, launched last November, has saved 45 dogs and led to the filing of six felony cases of animal cruelty and neglect.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 14, 2026
Those years gave me an early and ugly lesson in mob mentality and collective cruelty.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 10, 2026
"It's the gift we give to an audience, it's just to ruminate on that very serious subject, antisemitism, cruelty of all kinds, hatred of the other," Lithgow said.
From Barron's • Jun. 8, 2026
Shan glanced at Ifemelu and smiled and in that smile was the possibility of great cruelty.
From "Americanah" by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
