What does "cruel" mean?
Alternative form of crewel.
Cruel
/ˈkɹuːəl/ adj, adv, noun, verb, slang
adj, adv, noun, verb, slang ·Common ·Middle school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: Alternative form of crewel.
- Grammar: cruel is listed as adj, adv, noun, verb, slang.
- Nearest alternatives: brutal, abusive, abusive, abusive language.
- Useful contrasts: kindly, angelic glow, angelical.
- Usage evidence: It is cruel of you to find fault with her.
How to use "cruel"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "cruel" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "cruel" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "cruel" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "cruel" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "cruel" is acting as adj, adv, noun, verb, slang in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "brutal" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "cruel", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 Alternative form of crewel. alt-of, alternative, countable, uncountable
Verb
- 1 To spoil or ruin (one's chance of success) Australia, New-Zealand
"What cruelled him was that Imperial Hotel contract."
- 2 To violently provoke (a child) in the belief that this will make them more assertive. Australia, ambitransitive
"Violence is apparently introduced early by the practice of "cruelling": children even in their first months are physically punished and then encouraged to seek retribution by punishing the punisher."
Adjective
- 1 Intentionally causing or reveling in pain and suffering; merciless, heartless.
"The supervisor was very cruel to Josh, as he would always give Josh the hardest, most degrading work he could find."
- 2 Harsh; severe.
"We're certainly having quite a cruel winter this year."
- 3 Cool; awesome; neat. slang
Adjective
- 1 (of persons or their actions) able or disposed to inflict pain or suffering wordnet
Adverb
- 1 To a great degree; terribly. nonstandard, not-comparable
""But I've served 'im ten years, and I'm fond of 'im, and, mind you, 'e's a great man, when all's said an' done, and it's an honor to serve 'im. But 'e does try one cruel at times.""
Synonyms
All synonymsAntonyms
Example
"It is cruel of you to find fault with her."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "cruel"?
Common synonyms include: brutal, abusive, abusive, abusive language, acute, afflictive.
How do you use "cruel" in a sentence?
It is cruel of you to find fault with her.
How do you pronounce "cruel"?
Pronounced /ˈkɹuːəl/.
Etymology
From Middle English cruel, borrowed from Old French cruel, from Latin crūdēlis (“hard, severe, cruel”), akin to crūdus (“raw, crude”); see crude.