County and Bristol performed cruiser functions

Were the County class and Type 82 Bristol really cruisers in functional terms?

Largely yes; their size, endurance, and broad anti-air, surface, and submarine capabilities met much of the functional cruiser definition.

County-class destroyers were exceptionally large ships with endurance, twin 4.5-inch mountings, and Sea Slug missiles. Type 82 Bristol added a 4.5-inch gun, Sea Dart air defense, and Ikara anti-submarine weapons. Under a functional definition, a cruiser is a general-purpose combatant able to remain at sea in bad weather and answer air, surface, and submarine threats. On that test, both designs performed much of the cruiser role despite their destroyer labels. Their classification shows how a mission can survive after a navy abandons the older type name.