Cruel
Cruel adjective - Having or showing the desire to inflict severe pain and suffering on others.
Diabolical is a synonym for cruel in devilish topic. In some cases you can use "Diabolical" instead an adjective "Cruel", when it comes to topics like wicked.
Diabolical
Diabolical adjective - Of, relating to, or worthy of an evil spirit.
Usage example: the police quickly mobilized to track down the diabolical serial killer
Cruel is a synonym for diabolical in devilish topic. You can use "Cruel" instead an adjective "Diabolical", if it concerns topics such as characteristic, wicked.
Mutual synonyms
Both words in one sentence
- While not completely incompetent (he actually does a pretty good job), he's nowhere near as diabolical or cruel as Megatron.
Source: The Peter Principle -
When Trixie wears the Alicorn Amulet to increase her magical ability, its dark power changes her from being loud and arrogant to being legitimately cruel and diabolical.
Source: The Corruption -
The Spanish translation is somewhat in the middle: Nicky calls the concept of schadenfreude not German, but Nazist (and thus agreeing with the German philosopher Arthur Schopenhauer, who characterized schadenfreude as a cruel and diabolical trait).
Source: Theatre / Avenue Q
Cite this Source
Diabolical and Cruel. (2016). Retrieved 2026, August 08, from https://thesaurus.plus/related/cruel/diabolical
Cruel & Diabolical. N.p., 2016. Web. 08 Aug. 2026. <https://thesaurus.plus/related/cruel/diabolical>.
Diabolical or Cruel. 2016. Accessed August 08, 2026. https://thesaurus.plus/related/cruel/diabolical.
Google Ngram Viewer shows how "cruel" and "diabolical" have occurred on timeline