Schéma d’usage :
[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.
Exemples pédagogiques
The dog was cruelly treated.
Kegyetlenül bántak a kutyával.
They punished him cruelly.
Kegyetlenül megbüntették.
Erreur fréquente :
Learners sometimes use it for strong criticism in neutral contexts; it usually suggests real harm or lack of mercy.
Sens
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
Synonymes
brutally (Emphasizes violence and severity.)
|
mercilessly (Emphasizes lack of pity.)
|
savagely (Suggests wild, uncontrolled violence.)
Antonymes
humanely (In a way that minimizes suffering.)
|
kindly (With care and consideration rather than harm.)
|
gently (Without roughness or harshness.)
Thèmes
violence
|law
|ethics
Définition
In a way that hurts someone a lot on purpose.
In a way that deliberately causes pain, injury, or suffering; without mercy.
Schéma d’usage :
[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.
Exemples pédagogiques
Don’t speak cruelly to your friends.
Ne beszélj ilyen kegyetlenül a barátaiddal.
He laughed cruelly at her.
Kegyetlenül kinevette.
Erreur fréquente :
Don’t confuse with 'rudely' (impolite); 'cruelly' suggests causing deep hurt, often on purpose.
Sens
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
Synonymes
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.)
Antonymes
compassionately (With sympathy and concern for feelings.)
|
considerately (With care not to upset or harm.)
|
kindly (Warm and caring in manner.)
Thèmes
relationships
|emotions
|communication
Définition
In a mean way that hurts someone’s feelings.
In a deliberately unkind way that causes emotional pain or humiliation.
Schéma d’usage :
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.
Exemples pédagogiques
It is cruelly cold today.
Ma kegyetlenül hideg van.
The shoes are cruelly tight.
A cipők kegyetlenül szűkek.
Erreur fréquente :
This use doesn’t always mean someone is being unkind; it can describe harsh conditions (e.g., 'cruelly cold').
Sens
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
Synonymes
bitterly (Common with cold or disappointment.)
|
painfully (Highlights discomfort rather than cruelty by a person.)
|
severely (More neutral and formal; less emotional.)
Antonymes
mildly (To a small, gentle degree.)
|
pleasantly (In a comfortable or enjoyable way.)
Thèmes
daily_life
|weather
|health
Définition
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).
Schéma d’usage :
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.
Exemples pédagogiques
It feels cruelly unfair.
Ez fájdalmasan igazságtalannak érződik.
That is cruelly ironic.
Ez kegyetlenül ironikus.
Sens
in a painfully unfair way
Collocations
cruelly unfair
|cruelly ironic
|cruelly unjust
|cruelly unfortunate
|cruelly denied
|cruelly deprived
|cruelly short
|cruelly timed
Synonymes
tragically (Emphasizes sadness and loss.)
|
unfairly (More neutral; less emotional force.)
Antonymes
fairly (In a just, acceptable way.)
|
aptly (In a fitting way rather than an ironic or painful one.)
Définition
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.