cruel

cruel is on the Basic English 850 List.

crime - cruel - crush

Pronunciation

• (UK) enPR: /kro͝əl/, IPA ^(key): /krʊəɫ/

• Audio (US)

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Adjective

Positive cruel

Comparative crueller

Superlative cruellest

Positive cruel

Comparative crueler

Superlative cruelest

1. Someone who is cruel is mean. They hurt other people and don't care, or they like hurting other people.

   The cruel guard pushed the prisoners so hard that some of them fell down.

2. An action is cruel if only cruel people would do it.

   It's cruel to make children work 10 hours a day.

Related words

• cruelty