cruelly
gb/kɹˈuli/ us/kɹˈuli/
B2
English
kegyetlenül, fájdalmasan
B2
1
kegyetlenül
B2
Usage pattern:
[someone] is cruelly [verb-ed]
The prisoners were cruelly beaten during the interrogation.
A foglyokat a kihallgatás során kegyetlenül megverték.
He described how the animals were cruelly treated on the farm.
Elmondta, milyen kegyetlenül bántak az állatokkal a farmon.
The regime cruelly punished anyone who spoke out.
Learner examples
The dog was cruelly treated.
Kegyetlenül bántak a kutyával.
They punished him cruelly.
Kegyetlenül megbüntették.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes use it for strong criticism in neutral contexts; it usually suggests real harm or lack of mercy.
Meaning
in a way that causes suffering
Collocations
cruelly beaten
|cruelly punished
|cruelly tortured
|cruelly murdered
|cruelly killed
|cruelly abused
|cruelly treated
|cruelly slaughtered
|cruelly exploited
|cruelly oppressed
Synonyms
brutally (Emphasizes violence and severity.)
|
mercilessly (Emphasizes lack of pity.)
|
savagely (Suggests wild, uncontrolled violence.)
Antonyms
humanely (In a way that minimizes suffering.)
|
kindly (With care and consideration rather than harm.)
|
gently (Without roughness or harshness.)
Themes
violence
|law
|ethics
Definition
In a way that hurts someone a lot on purpose.
In a way that deliberately causes pain, injury, or suffering; without mercy.
B2
2
kegyetlenül
B2
Usage pattern:
[someone] speaks/treats [someone] cruelly
She cruelly mocked his accent in front of everyone.
Mindenki előtt kegyetlenül kigúnyolta a kiejtését.
He was cruelly rejected when he asked to join the group.
Amikor csatlakozni akart a csoporthoz, kegyetlenül elutasították.
They laughed cruelly at her mistake.
Learner examples
Don’t speak cruelly to your friends.
Ne beszélj ilyen kegyetlenül a barátaiddal.
He laughed cruelly at her.
Kegyetlenül kinevette.
Common mistake:
Don’t confuse with 'rudely' (impolite); 'cruelly' suggests causing deep hurt, often on purpose.
Meaning
in a deliberately hurtful way
Collocations
cruelly mocked
|cruelly teased
|cruelly ridiculed
|cruelly insulted
|cruelly rejected
|cruelly betrayed
|cruelly humiliated
|cruelly taunted
|cruelly criticized
|cruelly denied
Synonyms
meanly (More everyday and less intense.)
|
spitefully (Highlights a desire to hurt or get back at someone.)
|
callously (Emphasizes emotional coldness rather than active malice.)
Antonyms
compassionately (With sympathy and concern for feelings.)
|
considerately (With care not to upset or harm.)
|
kindly (Warm and caring in manner.)
Themes
relationships
|emotions
|communication
Definition
In a mean way that hurts someone’s feelings.
In a deliberately unkind way that causes emotional pain or humiliation.
C1
3
kegyetlenül
B2
Usage pattern:
cruelly + [adjective/adverb]
The wind was cruelly cold on the open hill.
A szél kegyetlenül hideg volt a nyílt domboldalon.
The stitches pulled cruelly whenever she moved.
Valahányszor megmozdult, az öltések kegyetlenül feszültek.
The spotlight was cruelly bright after the dark stage.
Learner examples
It is cruelly cold today.
Ma kegyetlenül hideg van.
The shoes are cruelly tight.
A cipők kegyetlenül szűkek.
Common mistake:
This use doesn’t always mean someone is being unkind; it can describe harsh conditions (e.g., 'cruelly cold').
Meaning
in a painfully severe way
Collocations
cruelly cold
|cruelly bright
|cruelly hot
|cruelly hard
|cruelly difficult
|cruelly uncomfortable
|cruelly slow
|cruelly tight
|cruelly painful
|cruelly sharp
Synonyms
bitterly (Common with cold or disappointment.)
|
painfully (Highlights discomfort rather than cruelty by a person.)
|
severely (More neutral and formal; less emotional.)
Antonyms
mildly (To a small, gentle degree.)
|
pleasantly (In a comfortable or enjoyable way.)
Themes
daily_life
|weather
|health
Definition
Extremely, in a way that feels painful or harsh.
To an extreme degree in a way that feels harsh, unpleasant, or painful (often about weather, conditions, or experiences).
C1
4
kegyetlenül
B2
fájdalmasan
B2
Usage pattern:
cruelly + [adjective] (e.g., cruelly unfair/ironic)
It was cruelly unfair that she lost her job just before the holidays.
Kegyetlenül igazságtalan volt, hogy közvetlenül az ünnepek előtt elvesztette az állását.
Cruelly, the one day he felt well enough to go out, it rained nonstop.
Kegyetlen módon éppen azon az egy napon esett megállás nélkül, amikor már elég jól érezte magát ahhoz, hogy kimozduljon.
The results were cruelly ironic: the safety system caused the shutdown.
Learner examples
It feels cruelly unfair.
Ez fájdalmasan igazságtalannak érződik.
That is cruelly ironic.
Ez kegyetlenül ironikus.
Meaning
in a painfully unfair way
Collocations
cruelly unfair
|cruelly ironic
|cruelly unjust
|cruelly unfortunate
|cruelly denied
|cruelly deprived
|cruelly short
|cruelly timed
Synonyms
tragically (Emphasizes sadness and loss.)
|
unfairly (More neutral; less emotional force.)
Antonyms
fairly (In a just, acceptable way.)
|
aptly (In a fitting way rather than an ironic or painful one.)
Themes
emotions
|society
Definition
In a way that feels very unfair or sadly ironic.
In a way that feels painfully unfair or sadly ironic, often because it adds to someone’s misfortune.
Grammar
Dictionary form
cruelly
IPA
GB/kɹˈuli/
US/kɹˈuli/
Syllables & stress
cruelly (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (cruelly)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: cruelly
- Plural: cruellies
Word family
Expressions
cruelly cold
1/kɹˈuli kˈoʊld/
fixed phrase
very cold in a harsh way
Extremely cold and unpleasant.
Examples
- It was cruelly cold waiting for the bus at dawn.
- The air in the unheated room was cruelly cold.
- By nightfall, it turned cruelly cold near the lake.
Learner examples
- It is cruelly cold outside.
cruelly honest
1/kɹˈuli ˈɑnɪst/
fixed phrase
bluntly honest in a hurtful way
So honest that it hurts.
Examples
- He was cruelly honest about her chances of getting the job.
- She gave a cruelly honest review of the book.
- I appreciate feedback, but you don’t have to be cruelly honest.
Learner examples
- He was cruelly honest about my mistakes.
cruelly ironic
1/kɹˈuli aɪɹˈɑnɪk/
fixed phrase
painfully ironic in effect
Very ironic in a way that hurts.
Examples
- It was cruelly ironic that the firefighter’s house burned down.
- Cruelly ironic, the warning system failed during the safety drill.
- The timing was cruelly ironic: he got the promotion the day he resigned.
Learner examples
- It is cruelly ironic that she missed the train by one minute.
cruelly unfair
1/kɹˈuli ʌnfˈɛɹ/
fixed phrase
extremely unfair and hurtful
Very unfair and painful.
Examples
- It’s cruelly unfair that he gets blamed for everything.
- The rules were cruelly unfair to part-time workers.
- It felt cruelly unfair to be excluded without an explanation.
Learner examples
- It is cruelly unfair.