cruel mistress
Demanding, punishing force
A cruel mistress is something—typically an abstract pursuit or passion—that demands sacrifice and gives little reward.
The phrase personifies disciplines like art, science, or ambition as a demanding woman who extracts devotion without returning kindness: The sea is a cruel mistress.
Fame, fortune, and fashion have all been called cruel mistresses.
The expression carries a faintly archaic, literary tone.
- pitilessLacking any compassion
- heartlessLacking pity or mercy
- cold heartLack of compassion
- unforgivingShowing no leniency
- harshUnpleasantly severe or rough
ruthless · iron fist · siren · siren song · Circe · nemesis · addiction · old flame · merciless · fate · dame fortune · Medea · time · femme fatale · Queen of Hearts · obsession · callous · succubus
cruel mistressfaithful servant
Devoted helper to another
steady paycheck · sure thing · easy money · unconditional love
cruel, cruelty, cruelly, crueler, cruelest, mistress, master, mastery