Synonyms and antonyms of To be cruel or unkind to someone in American Thesaurus

abuse (verb)

to treat someone in a cruel or violent way

mistreat (verb)

to treat someone in an unfair or cruel way

oppress (verb)

to treat people who are less powerful in an unfair and cruel way

trample (verb)

to behave in a cruel or unfair way toward someone or something

reject (verb)

to behave in an unkind way to someone who wants kindness or love from you

hit out ()

to say or do something in order to cause someone emotional pain

grind down ()

to treat someone in a cruel way over a long period and gradually destroy their confidence or strength

shove around ()

to treat someone badly and in an unfair way, especially by giving them orders

kick around ()

to treat someone in an unkind and unfair way

do someone wrong ()

to treat someone in an unfair or cruel way

chip (verb)

Australian to say things to someone that are intended to embarrass, annoy or upset them

abandon (verb)

to leave someone when you should stay with them and take care of them

alienate (verb)

to make someone feel that they do not belong in a place or group

batter (verb)

to make someone or something suffer or seem weak

be cruel to be kind ()

to say or do something to someone that seems unkind but is intended to help them

be/go gunning for someone ()

to try to hurt someone or damage their reputation

betray (verb)

if you betray your country, or if you betray someone who needs your support, you deliberately do something that harms them or helps their opponents

brutalize (verb)

to make someone lose their ability to experience normal feelings, by treating them in a cruel and violent way

brutalize (verb)

to do very cruel and painful things to someone

cut someone to the quick ()

to say or do something unkind that makes someone feel very upset

dehumanize (verb)

to make people stop feeling and behaving like normal people, especially by treating them very badly

do a number on ()

to deliberately do something that has a negative effect on someone or something

do someone dirt ()

to treat someone very badly

do to ()

to treat someone in a way that harms them

draw blood ()

to do something that makes someone suffer or makes them upset

dump (verb)

informal to leave someone in the care of someone else because it is convenient for you, although it may not be for them

fuck around (offensive)

offensive an extremely offensive expression that means to waste someone else’s time or treat them in a bad way

fuck over (offensive)

offensive an extremely offensive expression that means to treat someone in a bad or unfair way

get personal ()

to start being deliberately unkind or insulting

give someone a hard time ()

to be unpleasant to someone, or to criticize them a lot

give someone hell ()

to be very angry with someone or treat them severely

give someone the runaround ()

to deliberately behave in a way that is not helpful

give someone the shaft ()

to treat someone in a bad or unfair way

hit with ()

to make someone do something or experience something that is unpleasant

ill-treat (verb)

formal to treat a person or animal in a cruel or unkind way

insult someone’s intelligence ()

to treat someone as if they are stupid

jack around ()

to treat someone badly because you are not clear or honest with them

laugh at someone behind their back ()

to say unkind things about someone or something that are intended to make them seem silly

laugh at someone behind their back ()

to say unkind things about someone when they are not there

make someone feel unwelcome ()

to make someone feel that you are not pleased to see them

maltreat (verb)

to be violent or cruel to a person or animal

mess around ()

to treat someone badly, especially by changing your mind or by not doing what you promised

neglect (verb)

to fail to give someone enough love, attention, or support

objectify (verb)

to treat someone like an object

play fast and loose with ()

to treat someone or something in a careless way

put through ()

to make someone do or experience something difficult or unpleasant

rain on someone’s parade ()

to do something to stop someone enjoying something good that is happening to them

roust (verb)

formal to treat someone in a rough or violent way

spite (verb)

to deliberately upset someone or cause them problems

stab someone in the back ()

to do something bad that is not loyal to someone who trusts you

stamp on ()

to stop someone in a very unfair or cruel way from doing something

step on ()

to treat someone badly, especially because they have less power or importance than you

subject to ()

to make someone experience something unpleasant

taunt (verb)

to shout cruel things at someone in order to make them angry or upset

torment (verb)

to make someone suffer severe physical or mental pain, often deliberately

torture (verb)

to hurt a person or animal deliberately in a very cruel way, especially as a punishment or in order to make them say something

treat someone like shit ()

to treat someone very badly

tyrannise ()

a British spelling of tyrannize

tyrannize (verb)

to use your power to treat people in a cruel and unfair way

visit on ()

to make something very unpleasant happen to someone