Cruel and Hurtful

Cruel

Cruel adjective - Hard to accept or bear especially emotionally.
Usage example: the cruel situation of being orphaned at an early age

Hurtful is a synonym for cruel. In some cases you can use "Hurtful" instead an adjective "Cruel".

Nearby Words: cruelty, cruelly

Hurtful

Hurtful adjective - Hard to accept or bear especially emotionally.
Usage example: her ex-husband said hurtful things that she could never forgive

Cruel is a synonym for hurtful in unkind topic. Sometimes you can use "Cruel" instead an adjective "Hurtful".

Nearby Words: hurt, hurting

Both words in one sentence

  • Put simply: character behavior which looks or sounds sweet but is just as hurtful and cruel as a direct attack — perhaps more.
    Source: Sugary Malice
  • Happy Place Sometimes the outside world can be a cold, cruel place, full of mean, hurtful people and scads of author-induced pain.
    Source: Happy Place
Cite this Source
Hurtful and Cruel. (2016). Retrieved 2026, August 01, from https://thesaurus.plus/related/cruel/hurtful
Cruel & Hurtful. N.p., 2016. Web. 01 Aug. 2026. <https://thesaurus.plus/related/cruel/hurtful>.
Hurtful or Cruel. 2016. Accessed August 01, 2026. https://thesaurus.plus/related/cruel/hurtful.
Google Ngram Viewer shows how "cruel" and "hurtful" have occurred on timeline