Cruel — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

Cruel (adjective) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

1. 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"

   similar: atrocious, barbaric, barbarous, brutal, brute, butcherly, fiendish, heartless, inhuman, inhumane, sadistic, savage, truculent, vicious, wanton, red in tooth and claw
   related: hard-hearted, ironhearted, merciless, pitiless, ruthless, stonyhearted, unfeeling, fell, ferocious, grim, bloodthirsty, cutthroat, murderous, sanguinary, sanguine, catty, despiteful, hateful, malevolent, malicious, malign, malignant, mean, nasty, spiteful, vindictive, draconian, draconic, hardhanded, harsh, heavy-handed, oppressive
   opposite: benign, benignant, compassionate, good-hearted, humane, kind, kindhearted, sympathetic, tenderhearted
   near: tender, warm, warmhearted, charitable, clement, lenient, merciful, pitying, pacific, peaceable, peaceful

2. difficult to endure

   "the cruel climate of the Arctic"

   similar: bitter, brutal, burdensome, excruciating, grievous, grim, hard, hardhanded, harsh, heavy, inhuman, murderous, onerous, oppressive, rough, rugged, searing, severe, stiff, tough, trying
   related: austere, bleak, comfortless, discomforting, forbidding, inhospitable, spartan, uncomfortable, biting, inclement, intemperate, wild, rigorous, strict, stringent, agonizing, heartbreaking, heartrending, painful, wretched, crushing, grinding, overwhelming, wearing, insufferable, insupportable, intolerable, unbearable, unendurable, harrowing, tortuous, bad, disagreeable, hostile, unfriendly, unpleasant
   opposite: easy, light, soft
   near: comfortable, cozy, luxurious, snug, agreeable, friendly, genial, hospitable, pleasant, peaceful, relaxing, reposeful, restful, bearable, endurable, painless, tolerable, balmy, calm, clement, gentle, mild, moderate, temperate

3. hard to accept or bear especially emotionally

   "the cruel situation of being orphaned at an early age"

   similar: afflicting, agonizing, bitter, excruciating, galling, grievous, harrowing, harsh, heartrending, hurtful, painful, tormenting, torturous
   related: insufferable, insupportable, intolerable, unacceptable, unbearable, unendurable, unsupportable, appalling, awful, bad, dire, dreadful, ghastly, horrible, miserable, nasty, rotten, severe, terrible, vile, wretched, acute, extreme, intense, piercing
   opposite: gratifying, pleasing, sweet
   near: bearable, endurable, supportable, sustainable, tolerable, livable, sufferable, survivable, acceptable, allowable, reasonable

4. 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"

   similar: bad (slang), bitchy, catty, despiteful, hateful, malevolent, malicious, malign, malignant, mean, nasty, spiteful, vicious, virulent
   related: devious, scoundrelly, scurvy, snakelike, acrimonious, bitter, envious, jaundiced, jealous, rancorous, resentful, vindictive, vitriolic, contemptuous, deprecating, derogatory, disdainful, disparaging, mean-spirited, obnoxious, opprobrious, scornful, snide, snotty, unkind, unkindly, unloving, baleful, baneful, evil, harsh, hostile, inimical, acrid, caustic, poisonous, scathing, venomous
   opposite: benevolent, benign, benignant, loving, unmalicious
   near: compassionate, good, good-hearted, kind, kindhearted, kindly, sympathetic, warm, warmhearted, affable, agreeable, amiable, cordial, friendly, genial, gracious, nice, pleasant, affectionate, amorous, sweet, tender, tenderhearted, humane, altruistic, high-minded, humanitarian, magnanimous, noble, philanthropic