cruelty
n. C / Un. behavior that causes pain or suffering to others on purpose. It can also describe a situation that feels very unfair or harsh.
n. behavior or attitudes that cause physical or mental pain to others, often characterized by a lack of pity or compassion. Refers to both the abstract quality and specific acts of malice.
The law protects animals from any form of cruelty.
The documentary exposed the cruelty of the conditions in the overcrowded prison system.
Historians often debate whether the harsh sentencing was a product of systemic cruelty or a desperate attempt to maintain order during the revolution.
From Middle English cruelte, from Old French crualté (French cruauté), from Latin crudelitas. By surface analysis, cruel + -ty.
Uncountable when referring to the general quality; countable when referring to specific acts of suffering.