cruelty

American  

[kroo-uhl-tee] / ˈkru əl ti /

noun

• cruelties
  plural

1. the state or quality of being cruel.

   Synonyms:

   atrocity, inhumanity, barbarity, ruthlessness, brutality, harshness

2. cruel disposition or conduct.

   Antonyms:

   kindness

3. a cruel act.

   Antonyms:

   kindness

4. Law. conduct by a spouse that causes grievous bodily harm or mental suffering.

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cruelty British  

/ ˈkruːəltɪ /

noun

1. deliberate infliction of pain or suffering

2. the quality or characteristic of being cruel

3. a cruel action

4. 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

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• self-cruelty
  noun
• anticruelty
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• cruelties
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of cruelty

1175–1225; Middle English cruelte < Anglo-French, Old French < Latin crūdēlitāt- (stem of crūdēlitās ). See cruel, -ity

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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.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

cruelty cruelties

Beard's latest collection covers a variety of topics including animal cruelty, child poverty and mental health.

From BBC ● Oct. 12, 2026

Set between 2019 and 2021, Sorkin’s film stares down the dawn of a new decade, preparing for the birth of our current web of chaos, cruelty and thinly veiled deceit.

From Salon ● Oct. 11, 2026

Ms. Pillay began her life’s work as an attorney defending opponents of apartheid, but that cruelty was defeated two generations ago.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 9, 2026

These protest-laden times couldn’t be more receptive to the stirring “Everybody to Kenmure Street,” which speaks to a moment when the machinery of institutional cruelty was ground to a halt by righteous neighborliness.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 2, 2026

I couldn’t decide if I had somehow caused some greater cruelty.

From "The Many Assassinations of Samir, the Seller of Dreams" by Daniel Nayeri

Amid these cruelties, the conduct of Mr. McConnell and his staff are worthy of emulation.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 1, 2026

From a young age, even in the glitter of 1990s excess, I lived at odds with the cruelties of empire.

From Salon ● Aug. 2, 2025

But he also pointed to the cruelties of man.

From BBC ● May 13, 2024

It is helpful for all to take into consideration the disruptive social history of the region when trying to come to terms with the profound sadnesses and cruelties being exchanged today.

From Seattle Times ● Oct. 25, 2023

To make them realize that while we’re vulnerable to the Capitol’s cruelties, they are as well.

From "Catching Fire" by Suzanne Collins

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Related Words

• barbarism
• barbarity
• inhumanity
• malice
• persecution
• savagery
• torture

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