cruel

3 definitions • 8 examples

(of a person or action) extremely unkind and unpleasant and causing pain to people or animals intentionally:

Don't tease him about his weight - it's cruel.

Children can be very cruel to each other.

(of an event) causing suffering:

cruel blow His death was a cruel blow.

In a cruel irony, efforts to protect people from one terrible disease have led to many more dying from another.

Life can be very cruel at times.

extremely unkind and intentionally causing pain:

Her classmates made some cruel remarks.

Is the death penalty cruel and unusual punishment?

I think it’s cruel to put a dog in a cage.