Meaning
cruel
In a sentence
È stato crudele con il suo cane.
He was cruel to his dog.
Perché sei così crudele con tua sorella?
Why are you so cruel to your sister?
Non essere crudele, sta già male.
Don't be cruel, he's already feeling bad.
Word forms (4)
| Word | Word forms |
|---|---|
| crudele | masculine · singular |
| crudele | feminine · singular |
| crudeli | masculine · plural |
| crudeli | feminine · plural |
Usage notes
- Use crudele for people, actions, or fate. For physical harshness, prefer duro, severo, or spietato depending on context.
- It agrees in gender and number: crudele, crudeli. Don't add separate masculine/feminine singular forms.
- Spietato is often stronger and more ruthless; crudele can also describe emotional insensitivity or a painful joke.