cruelly

Valid in Scrabble

Scrabble points
12
Words With Friends
15
Letters
7
Pronunciation
/ˈkɹuːəli/
See all 2 pronunciations
/ˈkɹuːəli/ · /ˈkɹuːli/

Definition of cruelly

2 senses · 1 part of speech · etymology included

adv

  1. In a cruel manner; with cruelty.
    “In the meane time it chaunced, that Marcus Papyrius ſtroke one of the Galles on the heade with his ſtaffe, because he preſumed to ſtroke his bearde: with whiche iniurie the Gaulle beeing prouoked, ſlue Papyrius (as he ſate) with hys ſworde, and therewith the ſlaughter being begun with one, all the reſidue of thoſe auncient fatherly men as they ſat in theyr Chayres were ſlaine and cruelly murthered.”
    “Unfortunately, if certain national leaders have their way and repeal the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, the American dreams of hundreds of thousands of young people will be cruelly ripped away.”
See all 2 definitions

adv

  1. In a cruel manner; with cruelty.
    “In the meane time it chaunced, that Marcus Papyrius ſtroke one of the Galles on the heade with his ſtaffe, because he preſumed to ſtroke his bearde: with whiche iniurie the Gaulle beeing prouoked, ſlue Papyrius (as he ſate) with hys ſworde, and therewith the ſlaughter being begun with one, all the reſidue of thoſe auncient fatherly men as they ſat in theyr Chayres were ſlaine and cruelly murthered.”
    “Unfortunately, if certain national leaders have their way and repeal the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, the American dreams of hundreds of thousands of young people will be cruelly ripped away.”
  2. (rare)To a degree that is cruel.
    “1862, Mary Elizabeth Braddon, Lady Audley's Secret Robert Audley chafed cruelly at this delay. Half a dozen vessels might sail for Australia while he roamed up and down the long platform, tumbling over trucks and porters, and swearing at his ill-luck.”

Definitions from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA.

Etymology

From Middle English cruelly; equivalent to cruel + -ly.

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