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What is another word for cruel?

Need synonyms for cruel? Here's a list of similar words from our thesaurus that you can use instead.

Contexts ▼

Adjective

Inflicting suffering onto others without conscience

Upsetting in nature

Imposing or constituting a physical, mental, or figurative load

Characterized by the use of wit, especially to offend

Exercising power in a cruel or arbitrary way

Causing or inspiring fear, dread or alarm

Having a cynical or macabre bent

(chiefly Australia, New Zealand) To spoil or ruin in some manner

… more ▼

Adjective

▲

Inflicting suffering onto others without conscience

with a heart of stone

uncivilized^US

uncivilised^UK

ill-humored^US

red in tooth and claw

demoralised^UK

demoralized^US

rubbing the wrong way

off-colour^UK

off-color^US

having a killer instinct

gray^US

grey^UK

unsavoury^UK

unsavory^US

speaking as one finds

calling a spade a spade

humourless^UK

humorless^US

at each other's throats

terrorizing^US

terrorising^UK

knock-down-and-drag-out

more ❯

“Commodus was a cruel emperor who sought to inflict pain and torture on Maximus through devilish means.”

Adjective

Upsetting in nature

agonising^UK

agonizing^US

unsavory^US

unsavoury^UK

sombre^UK

somber^US

unfavorable^US

terrorizing^US

terrorising^UK

humourless^UK

humorless^US

enough to try the patience of a saint

agonized^US

agonised^UK

enough to try the patience of Job

grueling^US

gruelling^UK

enough to drive you up the wall

racked with suffering

enough to tax the patience of a saint

enough to test the patience of a saint

more than one can bear

more than flesh and blood can stand

more than one can stand

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

gruelling^UK

grueling^US

agonising^UK

easier said than done

labored^US

laboured^UK

agonizing^US

unfavorable^US

like getting blood out of a stone

more ❯

“They reached the top of the mountain despite the cruel conditions and climate.”

Adjective

▲

Characterized by the use of wit, especially to offend

accidentally on purpose

sulphurous^UK

sulfurous^US

libellous^UK

libelous^US

unfavorable^US

rubbing the wrong way

skeptical^US

sceptical^UK

minimizing^US

minimising^UK

straight from the shoulder

more ❯

Adjective

▲

Exercising power in a cruel or arbitrary way

throwing one's weight about

more ❯

Adjective

▲

Causing or inspiring fear, dread or alarm

somber^US

sombre^UK

humourless^UK

humorless^US

Adjective

Having a cynical or macabre bent

somber^US

sombre^UK

gray^US

grey^UK

more ❯

Verb

▲

(chiefly Australia, New Zealand) To spoil or ruin in some manner

throw a monkey wrench in the works of

throw a spanner in the works

neutralize^US

neutralise^UK

vaporize^US

make of no use or value

pulverize^US

pulverise^UK

vaporise^UK

vandalize^US

vandalise^UK

baulk^UK

balk^US

bastardize^US

discolor^US

discolour^UK

bastardise^UK

demoralize^US

destabilize^US

dishonour^UK

dishonor^US

bring someone to their knees

destabilise^UK

wipe off the face of the earth

demoralise^UK

wipe from the face of the earth

jeopardize^US

jeopardise^UK

brutalize^US

put out of commission

brutalise^UK

put a spoke in someone's wheel

traumatize^US

paralyse^UK

paralyze^US

traumatise^UK

stigmatize^US

rain on someone's parade

stigmatise^UK

outmaneuver^US

queer someone's pitch

drag through the mud

give someone a drubbing

take wind out of sails

get around

give someone a hiding

drag through the mire

blow out of the water

make a dog's dinner of

bring about the downfall of

be a blot on the landscape

throw a monkey wrench into

minimize^US

minimise^UK

be disadvantageous to

repel

deter

strike at the foundations

throw monkey wrench in

throw a curve

cause the loss of

cause the sacrifice of

color^US

colour^UK

sour

assassinate

lace

drive a nail into the coffin of

give the coup de grâce

administer the coup de grâce

drive to the wall

move in for the kill

cast a gloom upon

bring a note of sadness to

victimize^US

carbonise^UK

carbonize^US

persuade someone to have sexual intercourse

have your wicked way with

victimise^UK

immobilize^US

treat with disrespect

have a negative effect on

have a negative impact on

scandalize^US

knock the stuffing out of

give a bad name to

knock props from under

immobilise^UK

scandalise^UK

drag someone's name through the mud

take the wind out of your sails

more ❯

“Falling ill would cruel her chances of winning the tournament.”

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What is another word for cruel?

Need synonyms for cruel? Here's a list of similar words from our thesaurus that you can use instead.

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