cruel

Cruel is an adjective used to describe actions, policies, or people that deliberately cause unnecessary suffering or show a lack of empathy. It can refer to physical harm, psychological torment, or a combination of both. In everyday usage, a cruel remark or cruel treatment conveys intentional harm beyond what is warranted by circumstances. The related noun cruelty denotes the state or quality of being cruel.

Etymology: The word cruel comes from Old French cruel, from Latin crudelis, meaning cruel, which in turn derives from crudus, meaning raw or harsh. The English form appeared in the medieval period and has retained the core sense of deliberate harm and lack of mercy.

Usage and contexts: The term is often used in ethical critique, literature, and journalism to condemn actions. In legal contexts, cruel and unusual punishment appears in constitutional protections as a standard against excessive penalties. Cruelty to animals is a criminal or civil offense in many jurisdictions. In psychology, cruelty can be discussed as intentional harm, sometimes linked to personality disorders or environmental factors. The term can be used metaphorically to criticize institutions, systems, or cultural practices perceived as harsh or inhumane.

Related terms: cruelty (noun), cruelly (adverb), and synonyms such as merciless, brutal, sadistic, and harsh; antonyms include compassionate, humane, and merciful. Phrases such as cruelty-free have entered consumer language to indicate products developed without animal testing or exploitation.