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?
Definition of cruel adjective in Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary. Meaning, pronunciation, picture, example sentences, grammar, usage notes, synonyms and more.
Feb 16, 2026 · cruel (comparative crueler or crueller or more cruel, superlative cruelest or cruellest or most cruel) Intentionally causing or reveling in pain and suffering; merc
cruel definition: intentionally causing pain or suffering without pity. Check meanings, examples, usage tips, pronunciation, domains, and related words. Discover expressions like "
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 in
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.