Cruel

Pronunciation: /kruːəl/

Definitions of cruel

adjective causing pain or suffering; unkind; harsh

Example Sentences

A1 The witch was cruel to the princess in the fairy tale.

A2 The cruel teacher gave extra homework to the students.

B1 The cruel dictator oppressed his people and denied them basic rights.

B2 The cruel treatment of animals in the circus sparked outrage among animal rights activists.

C1 The cruel reality of war was evident in the devastating aftermath of the bombing.

C2 The cruel irony of the situation was not lost on those who witnessed the tragic events unfold.

Examples of cruel in a Sentence

formal The judge handed down a cruel sentence to the defendant.

informal It was so cruel of him to ignore her calls like that.

slang That prank was just plain cruel.

figurative Time can be cruel in its relentless march forward.

Grammatical Forms of cruel

• past tense: cruelled
• plural: cruels
• comparative: crueler
• superlative: cruelest
• present tense: cruel
• future tense: will be cruel
• perfect tense: have been cruel
• continuous tense: is being cruel
• singular: cruel
• positive degree: cruel
• infinitive: to be cruel
• gerund: cruelling
• participle: cruelling

Origin and Evolution of cruel

First Known Use: 1250 year

Language of Origin: Latin

Story behind the word: The word 'cruel' originated from the Latin word 'crudelis', which means 'rude' or 'rough'. It was later adopted into Old French as 'cruel' with a similar meaning.

Evolution of the word: Over time, the word 'cruel' evolved to encompass the meaning of causing pain or suffering intentionally, reflecting a shift from its original connotation of rudeness or roughness.