/ Dictionary / Index T theater of cruelty: Meaning and Definition of Find definitions for: the'ater of cru'elty Pronunciation: [key] a form of surrealist theater originated by Antonin Artaud and emphasizing the cruelty of human existence by portraying sadistic acts and intense suffering. Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease. theater-in-the-round theater of operations Related Content Daily Word Quiz: clairvoyant Analogy of the Day: Today’s Analogy Spelling Bee: Today’s Spelling Bee Frequently Misspelled Words Frequently Mispronounced Words Easily Confused Words Writing & Language