noun

cruelty

cruelty, brutality, inhumanity

He showed great cruelty to his enemies.

He showed great cruelty to his enemies.

Animal cruelty is a serious crime.

Animal cruelty is a serious crime.

She described the cruelties of the war.

She described the cruelties of the war.

((to/towards sb./sth.)) behavior that causes pain to (sb./sth.) His cruelty towards animals was shocking.

an act of ((...)) a cruel action The war involved many acts of cruelty.

Synonyms: brutality, inhumanity, harshness; Antonyms: kindness, compassion

From 'cruel' + '-ty', a noun-forming suffix indicating a quality or state.

This is the 'thing' or 'quality' of being cruel. If someone is cruel, they show cruelty.

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