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What is another word for cruel?

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Adjective
▲
Inflicting suffering onto others without conscience
brutal
savage
inhuman
barbaric
barbarous
brutish
bloodthirsty
murderous
homicidal
cut-throat
vicious
ferocious
fierce
wicked
evil
fiendish
devilish
diabolical
heinous
abominable
monstrous
atrocious
vile
hideous
ghastly
nasty
spiteful
mean
callous
malicious
sadistic
ruthless
merciless
unmerciful
pitiless
malevolent
unsparing
unrelenting
remorseless
uncaring
unsympathetic
malignant
uncharitable
heartless
stony-hearted
hard-hearted
cold-hearted
cold-blooded
nefarious
bloodless
unfeeling
unemotional
unkind
inhumane
severe
harsh
stern
inclement
flinty
draconian
beastly
dastardly
bestial
depraved
immoral
maleficent
pernicious
sanguinary
truculent
slaughterous
uncompassionate
violent
wolfish
wrathful
brute
butcherly
hateful
roughshod
virulent
wanton
like death and taxes
more ❯
“Commodus was a cruel emperor who sought to inflict pain and torture on Maximus through devilish means.”
Adjective
▲
Upsetting in nature
harsh
severe
grim
grievous
hard
tough
bitter
harrowing
heartbreaking
tragic
heart-rending
distressing
heavy
upsetting
grave
traumatic
unkind
painful
troubling
agonisingUK
agonizingUS
dreadful
sad
troublesome
unfortunate
dismaying
excruciating
regrettable
unpleasant
vexing
dire
discomforting
dismal
distressful
exacting
irksome
lamentable
nasty
taxing
trying
woeful
worrying
stressful
unforgiving
afflicting
galling
heartrending
hurtful
tormenting
torturous
hard-hearted
more ❯
“Jeremy's injury is a cruel blow to himself and to his team who rely on him.”
Adjective
▲
Imposing or constituting a physical, mental, or figurative load
harsh
brutal
bleak
grievous
grim
hard
bitter
disagreeable
rough
tough
trying
bad
discomforting
excruciating
heavy
hostile
inclement
inhospitable
intemperate
oppressive
severe
uncomfortable
austere
biting
burdensome
comfortless
forbidding
hardhanded
inhuman
rugged
searing
unfriendly
unpleasant
wild
autarchic
tyrannic
one-party
dogmatic
rigid
arrogant
absolutist
inflexible
unlimited
doctrinaire
unyielding
all-powerful
dystopian
summary
haughty
uncontrolled
pushy
willful
wilful
cocky
commanding
dominant
high and mighty
disciplinarian
unaccountable
unconstitutional
single-party
monolithic
Stalinist
subjugating
controlling
officious
communist
totalistic
total
unrestrained
autarchical
interventionist
overpowering
interfering
autonomous
downright
pushing
driving
czarlike
no joke
flat out
no ifs ands or buts
straight out
omnipotent
almighty
invincible
supreme
pre-eminent
unconquerable
lordly
huffish
self-asserting
pompous
huffy
high-hat
bumptious
stiff-necked
pretentious
hifalutin
superior
toploftical
uppish
lofty
self-assertive
supercilious
chesty
assumptive
high-and-mighty
uppity
presumptuous
important
cavalier
highfalutin
toplofty
presuming
sniffy
nationalist
xenophobic
militarist
far rightist
nationalistic
pushful
jingoistic
Mosleyite
chauvinist
neo-fascist
anti-Semitic
isolationist
corporatist
corporativist
racist
inconsiderate
extreme right-wing
Falangist
far right-wing
Francoist
most high
more ❯
“They reached the top of the mountain despite the cruel conditions and climate.”
Adjective
▲
Given freely and generously
unsparing
liberal
unstinting
bountiful
generous
free
munificent
lavish
ungrudging
abundant
open-handed
profuse
unselfish
beneficent
benevolent
big-hearted
bounteous
free-handed
kind-hearted
ready
bighearted
charitable
freehanded
freehearted
fulsome
kind
magnanimous
open
openhanded
plenteous
prodigal
willingly given
excessive
extravagant
giving
inexorable
procrustean
unkind
unrelenting
more ❯
Verb
▲
(chiefly Australia, New Zealand) Spoil or ruin
ruin
spoil
crush
destroy
wreck
impair
damage
mess up
decimate
devastate
shatter
dash
scotch
scupper
banjax
blight
sabotage
nix
blow a hole in
put the kibosh on
dish
euchre
louse up
foul up
screw up
undo
bring to naught
make a mess of
torpedo
mar
cripple
harm
undermine
hurt
compromise
weaken
bungle
subvert
flaw
butcher
fluff
obliterate
hinder
sully
corrupt
muff
disable
pollute
flub
fumble
eradicate
besmirch
beat
pillage
vandalizeUS
endamage
debase
stop
depredate
contaminate
murder
goof up
dirty
bobble
crab
soil
plunder
smirch
foozle
mishandle
distort
befoul
blot
bloody
batter
sack
kill
cross up
check
vandaliseUK
diminish
exterminate
foul
mismanage
block
enfeeble
topple
deform
sap
ransack
abolish
devour
bumble
make a muck of
overpower
boggle
dub
incapacitate
degrade
boot
liquidate
infect
make a Horlicks of
circumvent
loot
smear
unbuild
consume
rape
cramp
threaten
blacken
debilitate
baulkUK
disfeature
remove
bollix up
slaughter
invalidate
balkUS
wound
terminate
destabilizeUS
conquer
rob
halt
raid
discolorUS
discolourUK
denigrate
suppress
bulldoze
take out
subdue
squash
do away with
vanquish
lower
enervate
prostrate
do badly
spot
destabiliseUK
strip
torture
blunder
discredit
curb
confound
forestall
write off
disgrace
hamstring
burn
baffle
derail
muddy
confuse
stamp out
impoverish
take down
abuse
counter
warp
discomfit
destruct
dispatch
exhaust
take apart
contort
twist
attenuate
tar
adulterate
bruise
attack
put down
rifle
depress
inhibit
rout
nip in the bud
smash up
trounce
restrain
misconduct
grime
begrime
smudge
belittle
annul
prejudice
erase
misgovern
misdirect
pervert
dishonourUK
cut
tumble
shame
overrun
devalue
snuff out
massacre
mix up
extirpate
blow away
subjugate
bar
bankrupt
efface
mark
shake up
expunge
checkmate
jumble
dishonorUS
deflect
counteract
outwit
torment
lay waste to
eliminate
crimp
blunt
gum up
muddle
cheapen
strike
burst
cancel
wear away
lessen
wipe off the map
oust
make a nonsense of
depreciate
depose
drain
paralyseUK
unseat
soften
knock over
restrict
humiliate
squelch
stifle
dethrone
oppress
clobber
handicap
zap
corrode
scorch
disparage
erode
lick
scratch
paralyzeUS
debauch
blot out
slay
dissolve
humble
abate
floor
upend
bilk
reave
vilify
violate
err
drop
finish off
make impure
jeopardizeUS
rough up
shoot down
mow down
spike
bring someone to their knees
put out of action
uglify
stand in the way of
knock out
drag through the mud
perturb
harry
wipe off the face of the earth
blow out of the water
havoc
bollix
dampen
sweep away
devitalize
pop
maul
rend
tear
undercut
scuttle
misshape
scathe
lacerate
oppose
distress
deteriorate
disassemble
fleece
mangulate
disestablish
crack
eat away
demean
snooker
jeopardiseUK
minimizeUS
refute
derogate
harass
detract from
falsify
molest
decry
wreak havoc
bend
muck
distain
bemire
gaum
mire
daub
wrench
fudge
forage
immobilizeUS
down
defame
be detrimental to
skin
crucify
chasten
hash
outmanoeuvreUK
stigmatizeUS
influence
lay low
repress
outmaneuverUS
prohibit
tip
purge
fail
abase
trammel
throw down
prostitute
miscalculate
wax
swamp
bring about the downfall of
cross
ball up
cause detriment to
avoid
doctor
ward off
stave off
get around
minimiseUK
arrest
dispose of
reflect badly on
blow out
deprive
put out of commission
stigmatiseUK
bring into disrepute
shoot full of holes
unfit
put the stopper on
immobiliseUK
affect
trouble
stump
throw monkey wrench in
cut up
drag through the mire
scramble
buckle
put out
plague
curse
dispirit
delete
dismiss
squinch
screw
disprove
root out
contradict
put at risk
malform
supplant
knock for six
mash
emasculate
depopulate
shiver
traumatizeUS
wreak havoc with
use up
fetter
discompose
smother
clean up
black out
demoralizeUS
wither
gnarl
discomfort
dismay
incinerate
execute
shake
worst
vilipend
rattle
beset
bedevil
poor-mouth
maltreat
blend
kill off
bad-mouth
deprave
trample
do damage to
worsen
maladminister
shock
master
prevail over
tire
parry
capsize
best
miss
wrong
misuse
limit
frazzle
misrule
downgrade
split
knot
bypass
confute
rebut
skew
spread to
strike down
tank
repel
demoraliseUK
slander
etiolate
hammer
hit
disintegrate
stuff
nobble
repulse
do harm to
manage badly
stab
make unattractive
thrash
overreach
offset
goof
cease
evade
shipwreck
dent
dodge
slash
prove wrong
persecute
decrease
wince
blotch
disempower
whip
controvert
knacker
dislocate
mortify
mistreat
sidestep
detract
tear up
grieve
pain
devaluate
contravene
obviate
avert
whack
slur
paste
pound
drub
puncture
run down
traumatiseUK
overlook
negative
whelm
overmaster
wipe off map
tweak
ding
divert
reduce to ruins
misemploy
be prejudicial to
mess
unmake
flounder
make ugly
misapply
malign
skunk
confront
hold back
unrail
marmalize
tear apart
play merry hell with
skirt
make powerless
bang up
tamper with
seduce
circumnavigate
misconstrue
water down
duck
get out of
set back
calumniate
be a blot on the landscape
make useless
own
make a dog's dinner of
abrogate
stall
disarm
handle roughly
drown
slam
denude
censure
escape
pit
ditch
match
colorUS
cook
betray
put in a bad light
bring low
give the lie to
disqualify
besmear
reproach
deceive
outflank
cause suffering to
snow under
grind down
inactivate
mow
wrack up
get rid of
get the better of
put the mockers on
entrap
steer clear of
head off
damage beyond repair
make mincemeat of
turn inside out
drive a coach and horses through
wipe from the face of the earth
cramp one's style
bowl down
bring shame upon
bowl over
unstrengthen
do a hatchet job on
phony up
poke full of holes
shoot
give a bad name
colourUK
undervalue
upset one's apple cart
hogtie
doctor up
hock
beat down
upset the apple cart
put a spoke in someone's wheel
take wind out of
kibosh
play off
unbrace
make a botch of
make unclean
wipe the floor with
alloy
muzzle
roll back
do mischief to
take to the cleaners
pinion
render incapable
make a pig's ear of
bring shame on
make a hash
wipe
lead astray
make unclear
emulsify
combine
muck something up
avenge
dust
throw
make untidy
muddle up
empty
make desolate
obscure
unhorse
tag
deflate
pauperize
submerge
abandon
chastise
cool
speckle
endanger
manipulate
inconvenience
make a mess
make a mistake
prang
rack
do one in
bleed
whittle
imperil
disfashion
detonate
stuff up
nick
botch up
annoy
squander
bring to nought
rip down
displace
wear down
bow
prey
pirate
wrest
foray
seize
capture
rupture
douse
dishevel
put you off your stride
jack up
litter
clutter
rummage
miscarry
lose
make destitute
bleed dry
benothing
cow
set a bad example
let down
defenestrate
lame
indispose
hack
throw a monkey wrench into
agonizeUS
burn out
ground
crack down on
harsh
spend
take away
excise
wolf
maraud over
spray paint
brand
encumber
shackle
constrain
torpefy
remove from power
remove from office
be disadvantageous to
shrivel
sour
defend against
bring to a close
interdict
cost
anguish
wring
excruciate
besiege
sear
cut down
commit genocide
cut a swath through
make misshapen
distort the shape of
burn away
demote
be the end of
engulf
disconcert
make unfit
render powerless
play mischief with
create chaos
shut out
stonewall
juke
keep lid on
hold off
be deleterious to
bridle
interrupt
crack up
dump on
gobble up
strike at the foundations
knock off balance
aggrieve
pique
sting
have
craze
outsmart
outfox
bend out of shape
implode
throw a curve
vex
hobble
disrate
root
traverse
double-cross
snafu
silence
spill
scatter
dispossess
absorb
envelop
expend
rebel
reverse
supersede
invert
blanket
dowse
run onto the rocks
tear to pieces
put in toilet
lose strength
crumple
chop
put a spanner in the works
radioactivate
do clumsily
mildew
dis
discount
trash-talk
diss
deprecate
splinter
curtail
knock to pieces
throw away
exploit
mismanager
dash to pieces
pile up
work against
make waves
score
pinch
scrape
discourage
chill
chagrin
abash
cause the loss of
cause the sacrifice of
result in harm to
throw out
throw into chaos
crud up
turn topsy-turvy
hang up
render null and void
put a brake on
give the run around
forbid
dash one's hope
upset the applecart
preclude
tame
quelch
strangle
ice
chip away
harrow
agoniseUK
fatigue
deflower
draw blood
hack up
fracture
fragment
defeat utterly
force down
bear down on
slap down
clamp down on
strike out
blow down
cast down
result in damage to
lead to the end of
disease
move
enthuse
misjudge
fall down
do something badly
misconjecture
pull a boner
miscompute
mend
stumble
patch
weary
drop the ball
bork
cumber
give the slip
cook someone's goose
beat hollow
disconfirm
debunk
belie
steal from
freeboot
reive
drag down
maculate
quench
moisten
choke
dampen down
scratch out
cause agony to
be incompetent
be inefficient
impact
slit
slice
carve
cut about
separate
flay
overshadow
go against
manhandle
play out
draw down
decline
be untrue to oneself
lose value
sell out
render worthless
fall
fragmentize
scrunch
smash to smithereens
crunch
rive
splinterize
fragmentalize
smatter
snap
appropriate
embezzle
trespass
arrogate
confiscate
invade
traduce
mark down
distemper
ail
concern
alarum
worry
exercise
fuss
disquiet
hagride
distract
unhinge
agitate
bother
flurry
alarm
misrepresent
misinterpret
taint with mildew
chop up
embarrass
make helpless
overtax
tax
spread among
break into pieces
jam
make foul
scuzz up
cry down
play down
kiss off
talk down
rubbish
knock
abort
go through
garble
cause instability
prevail
occur
suspend
write down
poop
tire out
make impotent
torch
prove false
badmouth
cast gloom over
deactivate
disenable
freeze
crush to smithereens
blow apart
interfere
asperse
scandalizeUS
assail
libel
bully
disband
discontinue
make weary
wash out
overtire
wear out
blame
debar
intrude on
clamp
wheel-clamp
bring shame to
deconstruct
impinge
flog
wallop
steamroll
pan
muckrake
bump
revert
devalorize
take down a peg
demerit
declass
bench
brutalizeUS
assault
victimizeUS
lace
thin
dilute
deter
adjourn
combat
answer
fight
overbear
overmatch
cane
trim
deck
pommel
whitewash
get
surmount
misrelate
misstate
profane
slant
impact on
impinge upon
rot
gnaw
rust
tie
render inoperative
prevent from working
prevent from moving
bring to a standstill
make inoperative
action
render inactive
bring to a halt
rip up and down
blackguard
do a number on
give a black eye
rip
disrespect
speak ill of
bring discredit to
scandaliseUK
sling mud at
breathe on
blister
cast a gloom upon
slag off
deride
tar and feather
drag through mud
drag someone's name through the mud
cast a slur on
bring a note of sadness to
spread scandal about
fling mud at
sling mud
run smear campaign
assassinate
dismount
demount
pull apart
dismember
whittle away
shellac
edge
outplay
triumph over
whomp
tan
powder
weird out
freak out
bleach
fade
strike at
tucker out
take it out of
fag out
disannul
rescind
void
vacate
axeUK
prorogue
null
repeal
conclude
outjump
ambush
route
outrun
outhit
lambaste
flax
sandbag
mine
dig
tunnel
wear
challenge
cause injury
roughhouse
bury
blank
counterplot
give a bad name to
make lose face
win against
combust
scald
take to bits
strip down
unrig
take hold of
disconsider
expose
disfavourUK
disfavorUS
take rug out from under
knock bottom out of
pooh-pooh
reflect on
show up
mudsling
frown upon
cast aspersions on
disesteem
bring into disfavour
show in a bad light
insult
bastardizeUS
mix
give someone a drubbing
take to cleaners
take it all
edge out
KO
give someone a hiding
pip at the post
run roughshod over
pwn
run rings round
plow under
bear down
walk all over
work over
run rings around
nose out
win a victory over
do down
scrap
wind up
disunite
resist
tackle
rebuff
dispute
cremate
carboniseUK
carbonizeUS
knock about
kick around
knock around
treat roughly
be violent toward
brutaliseUK
treat badly
beat up
do over
victimiseUK
ill-treat
mess over
bung up
dig out
hollow out
have an effect on
have an impact on
exert influence on
salt
animalize
veer
water
brainwash
change
outrage
alter
steer
fake
rip to pieces
pull to bits
take to pieces
part out
pull to pieces
denudate
rip to shreds
bare
disrobe
divest
extend
sophisticate
clip one's wings
chip away at
queer the pitch of
split up
close
close down
loose
collapse
axUS
fade out
discharge
resolve into
postpone
render void
sever
wind down
oppugn
respond to
battle
fend off
retort to
knock the bottom out of
punish
burden
terrorizeUS
excoriate
grimace
destroy by fire
burn up
reduce to ashes
burn to the ground
burn down
burn to a crisp
drive a nail into the coffin of
dope
gainsay
hit back at
knock off
take wind out of sails
cause setback
put end to
bump off
put away
mix with
denature
bastardiseUK
infiltrate
commingle
irrigate
plant
transfuse
amalgamate
thin out
intermix
shave
mingle
vie
backtalk
hit back
have bone to pick
respond
hold at bay
fly in the face of
take on
blow sky high
thumbs down
meet
contend with
argue against
defy
return
retaliate
counterwork
stand up to
put up a fight against
buck
have a negative effect on
have a negative impact on
terroriseUK
take off
carry off
take someone's life
trick
dupe
mislead
detour
shortcut
drive to the wall
move in for the kill
give the coup de grâce
administer the coup de grâce
hoodwink
outgeneral
end-run
beguile
elude
knock the stuffing out of
get past
shun
fool
get round
ensnare
find a way round
more ❯
“Falling ill would cruel her chances of winning the tournament.”
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Nearby Words
cruel act
crueler
cruelest
cruel irony
cruelled
crueller
crudware
crud up
cruds
crudity
crudities
crude wax
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