Definitions for cruelty
ˈkru əl ticru·el·ty

Princeton's WordNetRate this definition:1.0 / 1 vote

1. cruelty, inhuman treatmentnoun

   a cruel act; a deliberate infliction of pain and suffering

2. cruelty, mercilessness, pitilessness, ruthlessnessnoun

   feelings of extreme heartlessness

3. cruelty, cruelness, harshnessnoun

   the quality of being cruel and causing tension or annoyance

WiktionaryRate this definition:5.0 / 1 vote

1. crueltynoun

   an indifference to suffering or positive pleasure in inflicting suffering.

2. crueltynoun

   a cruel act

Samuel Johnson's DictionaryRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. Crueltynoun

   Inhumanity; savageness; barbarity.

   Etymology: cruauté, French.

   The cruelty and envy of the people,
   Permitted by our dastard nobles,
   Have suffer’d me by the voice of slaves to be
   Whoop’d out of Rome. William Shakespeare, Coriolanus.

   There were great changes in the world by the revolutions of empire, the cruelties of conquering, and the calamities of enslaved nations. William Temple.

WikipediaRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. Cruelty

   Cruelty is the pleasure in inflicting suffering or inaction towards another's suffering when a clear remedy is readily available. Sadism can also be related to this form of action or concept. Cruel ways of inflicting suffering may involve violence, but affirmative violence is not necessary for an act to be cruel. For example, if a person is drowning and begging for help and another person is able to help with no cost or risk, but is merely watching with disinterest or perhaps mischievous amusement, that person is being cruel—rather than violent. George Eliot stated that "cruelty, like every other vice, requires no motive outside itself; it only requires opportunity." Bertrand Russell stated that "the infliction of cruelty with a good conscience is a delight to moralists. That is why they invented Hell." Gilbert K. Chesterton stated that "cruelty is, perhaps, the worst kind of sin. Intellectual cruelty is certainly the worst kind of cruelty."The word has metaphorical uses, for example, "The cliffs remained cruel." (i.e., unclimbable when they desperately needed to be climbed) in The Lord of the Rings.

ChatGPTRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. cruelty

   Cruelty is the act of inflicting pain or causing suffering to others, whether physically or emotionally, often involving inhumane and harsh treatment. It may also refer to indifference or pleasure in causing pain and suffering. Cruelty can be demonstrated through actions, language, or neglect and can occur in various contexts such as in interpersonal relationships, societal treatment of animals, or in legal and justice systems.

Webster DictionaryRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. Crueltynoun

   the attribute or quality of being cruel; a disposition to give unnecessary pain or suffering to others; inhumanity; barbarity

2. Crueltynoun

   a cruel and barbarous deed; inhuman treatment; the act of willfully causing unnecessary pain

3. Etymology: [OF. cruelt, F. cruaut, fr. L. crudelitas, fr. crudelis. See Cruel.]

FreebaseRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. Cruelty

   Cruelty is indifference to suffering, and even pleasure in inflicting it. Sadism can also be related to this form of action or concept. Cruel ways of inflicting suffering may involve violence, but affirmative violence is not necessary for an act to be cruel. For example, if a person is drowning and begging for help, and another person is able to help, but merely watches with disinterest or perhaps mischievous amusement, that person is being cruel — rather than violent. George Eliot stated that "cruelty, like every other vice, requires no motive outside of itself; it only requires opportunity." Bertrand Russell stated that "the infliction of cruelty with a good conscience is a delight to moralists. That is why they invented Hell." Gilbert K. Chesterton stated that "cruelty is, perhaps, the worst kind of sin. Intellectual cruelty is certainly the worst kind of cruelty."

Matched Categories

1. • Heartlessness
   • Malevolence
   • Maltreatment

Anagrams for cruelty »

1. cutlery

How to pronounce cruelty?

1. Alex

   US English

   David

   US English

   Mark

   US English

   Daniel

   British

   Libby

   British

   Mia

   British

   Karen

   Australian

   Hayley

   Australian

   Natasha

   Australian

   Veena

   Indian

   Priya

   Indian

   Neerja

   Indian

   Zira

   US English

   Oliver

   British

   Wendy

   British

   Fred

   US English

   Tessa

   South African

How to say cruelty in sign language?

Numerology

1. Chaldean Numerology

   The numerical value of cruelty in Chaldean Numerology is: 6

2. Pythagorean Numerology

   The numerical value of cruelty in Pythagorean Numerology is: 5

Examples of cruelty in a Sentence

1. Gilbert Keith Chesterton:

   Men feel that cruelty to the poor is a kind of cruelty to animals. They never feel that it is an injustice to equals nay it is treachery to comrades.

2. Serge Lecomte:

   It is cruel savagery of a kind we have rarely seen before, is it a cult? Cruelty towards animals is the precursor to cruelty towards humans.

3. Paul Shapiro:

   The state clearly has the right to ban the sale of the products of animal cruelty.

4. Macomb County Judge Richard Caretti:

   In my almost 17 years on the bench your case is by far the worst, most deplorable example of animal cruelty Ive ever seen, words are inadequate to express the depth and breadth of your cruelty.

5. Dag Hammarskjld:

   You cannot play with the animal in you without becoming wholly animal, play with falsehood without forfeiting your right to truth, play with cruelty without losing your sensitivity of mind. He who wants to keep his garden tidy doesn't reserve a patch for

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