ENGLISH
REFERENCE

cruel

adj. · adv. · v.
US //ˈkɹuəɫ// UK //kɹˈuːəl// cru·el
  1. 1 causing pain (adj.)
    B1 Intermediate

    wanting to cause pain or suffering to others without feeling sorry.

    wilfully causing pain or distress to others; devoid of humane feelings or mercy.

    Example

    It was cruel of the children to tease the stray cat.

    Example

    The dictator was known for his cruel treatment of political prisoners, often ignoring basic human rights to maintain his grip on power.
  2. 2 harsh or severe (adj.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate

    very painful, difficult, or unfair.

    causing great pain or distress; severe or rigorous in a way that feels unjust.

    Example

    The cold winter was cruel to the homeless people in the city.

    Example

    Fate dealt him a cruel blow when he lost his job only a week before his first child was born.
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  1. 3 extremely (adv.)
    C1 Advanced Dialect

    used to mean 'very' or 'extremely' when describing something bad.

    used as an intensifier meaning 'extremely' or 'terribly'.

    Example

    The weather today is cruel cold, so you should wear a heavy coat.

    Example

    The hike was cruel hard on my knees, especially during the steep descent back to the base camp.
  2. 4 to ruin a chance (v.)
    C2 Proficiency Dialect Informal

    to spoil or ruin someone's chances of succeeding.

    to frustrate or ruin a person's prospects or chances of success.

    Example

    A sudden leg injury cruelled his hopes of winning the race.

    Example

    The scandal cruelled her chances of being elected to the board, despite her otherwise impeccable professional record.

    Usage

    Common in Australian and New Zealand English.
Origin

From Middle English cruel, borrowed from Old French cruel, from Latin crūdēlis (“hard, severe, cruel”), akin to crūdus (“raw, crude”); see crude.

Word family
Idioms2 entries

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