as in ruthlessly
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Recent Examples of cruelly
The obvious price gap between her Zara dress and the Bottega handbag gifted to her by Jack is cruelly teased out in what would usually be the turning point of a scene like this.
—
David Opie, IndieWire, 15 Feb. 2026
Then the test was over; the untouched Negroni was rather cruelly taken away.
—Dhruv Khullar, New Yorker, 9 Feb. 2026
Deflatingly, this last-four tie was effectively over as a contest after less than seven minutes of the second leg, when Dan Burn’s slide tackle cruelly bounced off Omar Marmoush and looped over a helpless Aaron Ramsdale, before two further goals followed inside the opening 32 minutes.
—Chris Waugh, New York Times, 5 Feb. 2026
In order for Sophie to live a comfortable life, Araminta hires her as an unpaid maid and treats her pretty cruelly compared to her daughers Posy and Rosamund.
—Lea Veloso, StyleCaster, 29 Jan. 2026
Because Lady Penwood treats her particularly cruelly compared to her other servants.
—Kelly Lawler, USA Today, 29 Jan. 2026
Life is cruelly short sometimes.
—Dawn Klavon, PEOPLE, 29 Jan. 2026
Bundle has a home to return to, but the very real financial problems Lady Caterham dealt with so poorly and cruelly now weigh on her.
—Sophie Brookover, Vulture, 15 Jan. 2026
Edward cruelly abandons his wife to pursue a wealthy and high-status noblewoman (Bella Heathcote).
—Robert Lang, Deadline, 27 Dec. 2025
David Opie, IndieWire, 15 Feb. 2026
Then the test was over; the untouched Negroni was rather cruelly taken away.
—Dhruv Khullar, New Yorker, 9 Feb. 2026
Deflatingly, this last-four tie was effectively over as a contest after less than seven minutes of the second leg, when Dan Burn’s slide tackle cruelly bounced off Omar Marmoush and looped over a helpless Aaron Ramsdale, before two further goals followed inside the opening 32 minutes.
—Chris Waugh, New York Times, 5 Feb. 2026
In order for Sophie to live a comfortable life, Araminta hires her as an unpaid maid and treats her pretty cruelly compared to her daughers Posy and Rosamund.
—Lea Veloso, StyleCaster, 29 Jan. 2026
Because Lady Penwood treats her particularly cruelly compared to her other servants.
—Kelly Lawler, USA Today, 29 Jan. 2026
Life is cruelly short sometimes.
—Dawn Klavon, PEOPLE, 29 Jan. 2026
Bundle has a home to return to, but the very real financial problems Lady Caterham dealt with so poorly and cruelly now weigh on her.
—Sophie Brookover, Vulture, 15 Jan. 2026
Edward cruelly abandons his wife to pursue a wealthy and high-status noblewoman (Bella Heathcote).
—Robert Lang, Deadline, 27 Dec. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cruelly
Adverb
-
As a small rural settlement is swiftly and ruthlessly stripped bare by the twin plagues of a diphtheria epidemic and spreading wildfires, the film eventually descends into a near-literal hellscape, though even when pandemonium takes over on screen, Van Dusen’s formal control never wavers.—
Guy Lodge,
Variety,
13 Feb. 2026
-
This is a book that treats its characters and incidents seriously and—at its best—ruthlessly.—
The New Yorker,
New Yorker,
9 Feb. 2026
Adverb
-
Mexican authorities and fellow journalists say López Serrano likely ordered the hit because the journalist had mocked the young narco mercilessly in Ríodoce, the weekly co-founded by Valdez.—
Foreign Correspondent,
Los Angeles Times,
7 Feb. 2026
-
During the War of 1812, the British mercilessly bombarded Fort Henry.—
Gladys Louise Tyler,
Forbes.com,
30 Jan. 2026
Adverb
-
In the process, Joel heartlessly killed some innocent people, including medical professionals.—
EW.com,
EW.com,
26 Aug. 2025
-
There is a troubling suggestion of abuse, implying that Jack might have been ill-treated by his mom (and saved by Helen), rather than heartlessly abandoned.—
Tomris Laffly,
Variety,
14 Aug. 2025
Adverb
-
The first hour, set at a resort that’s like a singles cruise through the Twilight Zone (or Bachelor in Paradise beamed in from a brutal alternate universe), contains some of the most pitilessly funny scenes of the filmmaker’s career.—
A.A. Dowd,
Vulture,
24 Oct. 2025
Adverb
-
Marley’s level of fame and influence meant that, after his death at 36, his legacy, his spirit, his brand was to be shaped by a record industry that could be callously indifferent to truth or quality at the expense of revenue.—
Eric Harvey,
Pitchfork,
18 Jan. 2026
-
Some industry representatives ahead of the meeting expressed worry that attending risked casting them as willing participants in a callously opportunistic grab for Venezuela’s crude, people familiar with the matter said.—
Bloomberg Wire,
Dallas Morning News,
10 Jan. 2026
Adverb
-
The oversight tour came after activists alleged detainees were being treated inhumanely at the facility.—
Tim Dunn,
Boston Herald,
14 Jan. 2026
Adverb
-
In the capital, Kyiv, temperatures well below zero and bitterly cold winds are expected for the next four days at least.—
Tim Lister,
CNN Money,
8 Feb. 2026
-
The business relationship appears to have ended bitterly, based on the emails.—
John Diedrich,
jsonline.com,
6 Feb. 2026
Adverb
-
Furet had earlier co-produced a glossy two-volume study of the Revolution, La Révolution française (1965–66), described unkindly but not unjustly by Lynn Hunt as a coffee-table book.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
19 Nov. 2025
-
Aimee Lou Wood, the British breakout star of The White Lotus season three, said Saturday Night Live has apologized after unkindly parodying her during Saturday night’s show.—
Nicole Fell,
HollywoodReporter,
13 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Cruelly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cruelly. Accessed 16 Feb. 2026.
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