American Dictionary

Define dictionary terms easily in our powerful online English dictionary.

Searching for...

No matching words found

Try a different search term or browse the dictionary

Definition cruel in American English

cruel adjective

adjective
/ˈkruəl/
1

someone who is cruel enjoys causing pain to other people or animals, or enjoys making them unhappy or upset

Example

a cruel parent

Example

How could you be so cruel to someone who never did you any harm?

Synonyms and related words
1.1

used about someone's behavior

Example

She had a cruel look in her eyes.

Example

a cruel sense of humor

Synonyms and related words
2

cruel events or situations make people suffer in a way that seems unfair

Example

It's a cruel world.

Example

Closing the school would be a cruel blow to this community.

Synonyms and related words
Definition cruel in American English