" cruelness "

1: disposition to willfully inflict pain and suffering on others;

  * e.g., " ... far from being healers, the doctors in the Nazi death camps were notable for their senseless cruelness "

•  Synonyms : 

•  atrociousness,

•  atrocity,

•  barbarity,

•  barbarousness,

•  brutality,

•  cruelty,

•  fiendishness,

•  heartlessness,

•  inhumanity,

•  inhumanness,

•  sadism,

•  savageness,

•  savagery,

•  truculence,

•  viciousness,

•  wantonness

•  Antonyms : 

•  benignity,

•  compassion,

•  good-heartedness,

•  humaneness,

•  humanity,

•  kindheartedness,

•  kindness,

•  sympathy,

•  tenderheartedness

1: having or showing the desire to inflict severe pain and suffering on others;

  * e.g., " ... a cruel dictator who tortured anyone who dared to speak out against him "

•  Synonyms : 

•  atrocious,

•  barbaric,

•  barbarous,

•  brutal,

•  brute,

•  butcherly,

•  fiendish,

•  heartless,

•  inhuman,

•  inhumane,

•  sadistic,

•  savage,

•  truculent,

•  vicious,

•  wanton

•  Antonyms : 

•  benign,

•  benignant,

•  compassionate,

•  good-hearted,

•  humane,

•  kind,

•  kindhearted,

•  sympathetic,

•  tenderhearted

2: difficult to endure;

  * e.g., " ... the cruel climate of the Arctic "

•  Synonyms : 

•  bitter,

•  brutal,

•  burdensome,

•  excruciating,

•  grievous,

•  grim,

•  hard,

•  hardhanded,

•  harsh,

•  heavy,

•  inhuman,

•  murderous,

•  onerous,

•  oppressive,

•  rough,

•  rugged,

•  searing,

•  severe,

•  stiff,

•  tough,

•  trying

•  Antonyms : 

•  easy,

•  light,

•  soft

3: hard to accept or bear especially emotionally;

  * e.g., " ... the cruel situation of being orphaned at an early age "

•  Synonyms : 

•  afflicting,

•  agonizing,

•  bitter,

•  excruciating,

•  galling,

•  grievous,

•  harrowing,

•  harsh,

•  heartrending,

•  hurtful,

•  painful,

•  tormenting,

•  torturous

•  Antonyms : 

•  gratifying,

•  pleasing,

•  sweet