cruel
cru|el /kr'uːəl/ (crueller cruellest)
in AM, use crueler, cruelest
1 [ADJ] oft it v-link ADJ to-inf
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?
≠ kind
● cruelly [ADV] ADV with v
Douglas was often cruelly tormented by jealous siblings.
2 [ADJ]
A situation or event that is cruel is very harsh and causes people distress.
...struggling to survive in a cruel world with which they cannot cope...
● cruelly [ADV] usu ADV with v
His life has been cruelly shattered by an event not of his own making.
in AM, use crueler, cruelest
1 [ADJ] oft it v-link ADJ to-inf
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?
≠ kind
● cruelly [ADV] ADV with v
Douglas was often cruelly tormented by jealous siblings.
2 [ADJ]
A situation or event that is cruel is very harsh and causes people distress.
...struggling to survive in a cruel world with which they cannot cope...
● cruelly [ADV] usu ADV with v
His life has been cruelly shattered by an event not of his own making.