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What is the difference between cruelty and cruel?

cruelty | cruel |

Cruel is a related term of cruelty.



As a noun cruelty

is an indifference to suffering or positive pleasure in inflicting suffering.

As an adjective cruel is

not nice; mean; heartless.

As a verb cruel is

to spoil or ruin (one's chance of success.

cruelty

English

Alternative forms

* cruellty (obsolete) * cruelltie (obsolete)

Noun

  • (uncountable) an indifference to suffering or positive pleasure in inflicting suffering.
  • (countable) a cruel act

    • Anagrams

    * cutlery

    cruel

    English

    Adjective

    (en-adj)
  • Not nice; mean; heartless.
    • The supervisor was very cruel to Josh, as he would always give Josh the hardest, most degrading work he could find.
  • (slang) Cool; awesome; neat.

    • Synonyms

    * brutal * sadistic * vicious

    Antonyms

    * merciful

    Derived terms

    * cruelly

    Related terms

    * crude * crudeness * cruelty

    Verb

  • To spoil or ruin (one's chance of success)

    • External links

    * *

    Anagrams

    * * ----