cruelty

/ˈkruːəlti/
noun
  1. Behavior that causes physical or emotional pain to others; the quality of being cruel.
    • The cruelty of the punishment was out of proportion to the crime.
    • Animal cruelty is illegal in many countries.
    • She left him because she could no longer tolerate his cruelty.
  2. A cruel act or remark.
    • He regretted the small cruelties he had said in anger.
    • The children suffered many cruelties at the hands of their captors.
    • History is full of cruelties committed in the name of power.
What does "cruelty" mean? | whatsthatwordmean | whatsthatwordmean