CRUELTY Synonyms: 63 Similar and Opposite Words

cruelty

noun

ˈkrü(-ə)l-tē

Definition of cruelty

as in brutality

disposition to willfully inflict pain and suffering on others centuries after he ravaged Europe, Attila the Hun remains notorious for his cruelty

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of cruelty Yet, cruelty is the point for the GOP, no matter their own family backgrounds. — Voice Of The People, New York Daily News, 20 Aug. 2026 The scope of Spizte’s cruelty to children became clearer when agents jailed him and searched his iPhone in February 2024, according to an FBI affidavit. — Hudson Crozier, The Washington Examiner, 20 Aug. 2026 In late 2024, Spitze pleaded guilty to several charges related to child pornography and animal cruelty, and had been awaiting sentencing since then. — Mike Levine, ABC News, 19 Aug. 2026 Brown faces two counts each of kidnapping and first-degree cruelty to children, according to a warrant obtained by PEOPLE. — Christina Coulter, PEOPLE, 19 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for cruelty

Recent Examples of Synonyms for cruelty

Noun

The army Mladic created to fight in Bosnia was a model of ruthlessness, daring and brutality in the Serb warrior tradition, once prized in the life-or-death partisan struggle against the Nazi occupation of Yugoslavia in World War Two.

— Ivana Sekularac, USA Today, 27 Aug. 2026
Freya is the granddaughter of Athos — a dog who survived the Russian brutality in Bucha and was found on the street where Ukrainian forces destroyed a large Russian convoy, Danylchenko told the Associated Press in an interview.

— Laurie Kellman, Los Angeles Times, 27 Aug. 2026

Definition of brutality

Noun

Emergency Lawyers, an independent group documenting atrocities in Sudan, said a drone targeted a group of civilians traveling Thursday in the desert town of Sowdari in North Korodofan state.

— ABC News, ABC News, 28 Aug. 2026
These images laid the foundation and the ideology for every atrocity that has been committed against my people.

— Cheryl V. Jackson, IndyStar, 27 Aug. 2026

Definition of atrocity

Browse Nearby Words

cruelness

cruelty

cruelty-free

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Cruelty.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cruelty. Accessed 3 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of cruelty

noun

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

recalcitrant

Popular in Grammar & Usage

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

A List of Most Commonly Confused Words

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

Popular in Wordplay

The Longest Long Words List

Stay Woke

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

Popular

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

The Longest Long Words List

Stay Woke

Games & Quizzes