Distressing, abominable, agonizing, and bitter are all synonyms for cruel. Compassionate and merciful are these antonyms of cruel. And here are another 77 synonyms for cruel.
Cruel Synonyms
1. brutal
- Abominable
- Atrocious
- Barbaric
- Barbarous
- Beastly
- Bloodless
- Bloodthirsty
- Brutal
- Brutish
- Callous
- Cold-blooded
- Cold-hearted
- Cut-throat
- Dastardly
- Devilish
- Diabolical
- Draconian
- Evil
- Ferocious
- Fiendish
- Fierce
- Flinty
- Ghastly
- Hard-hearted
- Harsh
- Heartless
- Heinous
- Hideous
- Homicidal
- Inclement
- Inhuman
- Inhumane
- Mean
- Merciless
- Monstrous
- Murderous
- Nasty
- Pitiless
- Remorseless
- Ruthless
- Sadistic
- Savage
- Severe
- Spiteful
- Stern
- Stony-hearted
- Uncaring
- Uncharitable
- Unemotional
- Unfeeling
- Unkind
- Unmerciful
- Unrelenting
- Unsparing
- Unsympathetic
- Vicious
- Vile
- Wicked
- Sanguinary
2. harsh
- Agonizing
- Bitter
- Distressing
- Excruciating
- Grievous
- Grim
- Hard
- Harrowing
- Harsh
- Heart-rending
- Heartbreaking
- Painful
- Severe
- Tough
- Traumatic
- Upsetting
- Distressful