CRUEL

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 Dictionary entry overview: What does cruel mean? 

• CRUEL (adjective)
  The adjective CRUEL has 1 sense:

1. (of persons or their actions) able or disposed to inflict pain or suffering

  Familiarity information: CRUEL used as an adjective is very rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• CRUEL (adjective)

Comparative: crueler    / crueller   
Superlative: cruelest    / cruellest   

Sense 1

Meaning:

(of persons or their actions) able or disposed to inflict pain or suffering

Synonyms:

barbarous; brutal; cruel; fell; roughshod; savage; vicious

Context example:

vicious kicks

Similar:

inhumane (lacking and reflecting lack of pity or compassion)

Derivation:

cruelness (the quality of being cruel and causing tension or annoyance)

 Context examples 

He came to know that men were more just, children more cruel, and women more kindly and more likely to toss him a bit of meat or bone.

(White Fang, by Jack London)

"Oh, Martin, don't be cruel. You have not kissed me once. You are as unresponsive as a stone. And think what I have dared to do."

(Martin Eden, by Jack London)

God won't be so cruel as to take you from me, cried poor Jo rebelliously, for her spirit was far less piously submissive than Beth's.

(Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott)

The Tin Woodman knew very well he had no heart, and therefore he took great care never to be cruel or unkind to anything.

(The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, by L. Frank Baum)

There, cried the sparrow, thou cruel villain, thou hast killed my friend the dog.

(Fairy Tales, by The Brothers Grimm)

We must keep one another strong for what is before us; we have a cruel and dreadful task.

(Dracula, by Bram Stoker)

“Ah! but it's cruel,” said Em'ly.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)

“My!” she murmured, “you startled me, and you are cruel.”

(The Sea-Wolf, by Jack London)

“Why should you raise up hopes which you are bound to disappoint? I am not over-tender of heart, but I call it cruel.”

(The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

He broke out suddenly while clasping me in his arms—Cruel, cruel deserter!

(Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Brontë)