Foundation level · Year 4 · free
cruel
adjective · Say it: KROO-ul
What it means
Foundationhappy to cause pain or upset to others, or not caring about it.
Our teacher reminded us that teasing others is cruel and hurtful.
Similar and opposite words
Synonyms (similar meaning)
- heartless
- mean
- nasty
- unkind
Antonyms (opposite meaning)
- caring
- gentle
- kind
More examples
- In the story, the cruel giant refused to share his garden with the children.
Where the word comes from
From the Latin word 'crudelis', meaning rough or hard-hearted.
Try a quick question
One question about “cruel”, the way 11+ papers ask it (Foundation level).