How to pronounce cruel
Say it like KROO-ul. Cruel has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (KROO).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce cruel. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- KROO
- ul
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Cruel pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- KROOSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "oo" in food.
- ulKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
American vs British pronunciation of cruel
American and British speakers say cruel in essentially the same way: /ˈkruəl/ in the US and /ˈkruːəl/ in the UK.
British respelling: KROO-ul.
What does cruel mean?
- (of persons or their actions) able or disposed to inflict pain or suffering“a barbarous crime”“brutal beatings”
Where does cruel come from?
From Middle English cruel, borrowed from Old French cruel, from Latin crūdēlis (“hard, severe, cruel”), akin to crūdus (“raw, crude”); see crude.
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Words that rhyme with cruel
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of cruel.
Questions about saying cruel
How do you pronounce cruel?
Say KROO-ul. The American pronunciation is /ˈkruəl/. In British English it is /ˈkruːəl/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in cruel?
Cruel has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (KROO). Broken into parts: KROO · ul.
Do Americans and Brits say cruel the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ˈkruəl/ and the British form is /ˈkruːəl/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.