The thought made her feel guilty, but a part of her countered, It's a matter of cruel necessity.

Perhaps it is not perfectly honest: but this is one more burden cruel necessity imposes.

He thought the force was composed of striplings barely blooded in Dosadi's cruel necessities.

What have we done, that this cruel necessity should come on us?

Instead of being a cruel necessity, the sad price that had to be paid, inequality is the end, not the means.

In his book General Massu, who had been considered by soldiers the personification of military tradition, defended torture as "a cruel necessity."

(Contemporaries accepted that violence even within the heart of the family might be a cruel necessity.)

I confess it's a cruel necessity, but I assure you there is no alternative.

A wrong and cruel necessity.

Somehow, the tragic figure managed to convey his deep regret and sorrowful acceptance of the cruel necessities in a mere three words.