cruel implies indifference to suffering and even positive pleasure in inflicting it.

CRUEL definition: willfully or knowingly causing pain or distress to others. See examples of cruel used in a sentence.

CRUEL definition: 1. (of a person or action) extremely unkind and unpleasant and causing pain to people or animals…. Learn more.

1. causing or inflicting pain without pity: a cruel teacher. 2. causing pain or suffering: a cruel accident.

Definition of cruel adjective in Oxford Advanced American Dictionary. Meaning, pronunciation, picture, example sentences, grammar, usage notes, synonyms and more.

Jan 20, 2026 · cruel (comparative crueler or crueller or more cruel, superlative cruelest or cruellest or most cruel) Intentionally causing or reveling in pain and suffering; merciless, heartless.

Someone who is cruel deliberately causes pain or distress to people or animals. Children can be so cruel. Don't you think it's cruel to cage a creature up?

Cruel refers to behavior or actions that show a lack of empathy, compassion, or kindness towards others, resulting in intentional or unnecessary harm, suffering, or mistreatment inflicted upon them.

Cruel implies willingness to cause pain, and indifference to suffering: a cruel stepfather.Pitiless adds the idea of refusal to show compassion: pitiless to captives.

Someone or something that inflicts pain or causes suffering can be described as cruel. It would be cruel of you to offer chocolate to someone on a diet.