been cruel to be kind

A form of be cruel to be kind — To act cruelly in order to achieve a positive outcome in the future.

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Meanings

verb
  1. participlepastpast participle of be cruel to be kind
Cite this entry
APA

been cruel to be kind. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/been%20cruel%20to%20be%20kind

MLA

“been cruel to be kind.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/been%20cruel%20to%20be%20kind. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “been cruel to be kind,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/been%20cruel%20to%20be%20kind.

Source: been cruel to be kind on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.