cruel
- 01 B1 Intermediate
adj.wanting to cause pain or suffering to others without feeling sorry.
adj.wilfully causing pain or distress to others; devoid of humane feelings or mercy.
Simple“It was cruel of the children to tease the stray cat.”
In context“The dictator was known for his cruel treatment of political prisoners, often ignoring basic human rights to maintain his grip on power.”
Antonyms - 02 B2 Upper Intermediate
adj.very painful, difficult, or unfair.
adj.causing great pain or distress; severe or rigorous in a way that feels unjust.
Simple“The cold winter was cruel to the homeless people in the city.”
In context“Fate dealt him a cruel blow when he lost his job only a week before his first child was born.”
- 03 C1 Advanced
adv.used to mean 'very' or 'extremely' when describing something bad.
adv.used as an intensifier meaning 'extremely' or 'terribly'.
Simple“The weather today is cruel cold, so you should wear a heavy coat.”
In context“The hike was cruel hard on my knees, especially during the steep descent back to the base camp.”
- 04 C2 Proficiency
v.to spoil or ruin someone's chances of succeeding.
v.to frustrate or ruin a person's prospects or chances of success.
Simple“A sudden leg injury cruelled his hopes of winning the race.”
In context“The scandal cruelled her chances of being elected to the board, despite her otherwise impeccable professional record.”
UsageCommon in Australian and New Zealand English.
From Middle English cruel, borrowed from Old French cruel, from Latin crūdēlis (“hard, severe, cruel”), akin to crūdus (“raw, crude”); see crude.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.