atrocity
noun
atroc·i·ty
ə-ˈträ-sə-tē 
plural atrocities
1
: a shockingly bad or atrocious act, object, or situation
the atrocities of war
2
: the quality or state of being atrocious
… the paralysing atrocity of the thought which occupied her.—
Joseph Conrad
Joseph ConradExamples of atrocity in a Sentence
Atrocities were committed by forces on both sides of the conflict.
Who could be capable of such atrocity?
Recent Examples on the Web
The prospect of Syrian troops entering Lebanon is likely to raise alarm bells, as many come from factions within Islamist and jihadist backgrounds and have been accused of atrocities against minorities within Syria’s own borders.
—Zeena Saifi, CNN Money, 16 June 2026
The next atrocity captured on a scared bystander’s shaking phone?
—Karen Valby, Vanity Fair, 16 June 2026
Italy has a colonial past, of course, and its government forces committed atrocities in areas under Italian dominion in East Africa between the 1880s and 1941.
—Kaitlyn Rabe, The Conversation, 16 June 2026
As a survivor of the Armenian Genocide during World War I, Galentz’s oeuvre serves not only as a reminder of the resilience of the human spirit but also the power of creativity amid some of the worst imaginable atrocities.
—The Editors Of Artnews, ARTnews.com, 12 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for atrocity
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Zeena Saifi, CNN Money, 16 June 2026
The next atrocity captured on a scared bystander’s shaking phone?
—Karen Valby, Vanity Fair, 16 June 2026
Italy has a colonial past, of course, and its government forces committed atrocities in areas under Italian dominion in East Africa between the 1880s and 1941.
—Kaitlyn Rabe, The Conversation, 16 June 2026
As a survivor of the Armenian Genocide during World War I, Galentz’s oeuvre serves not only as a reminder of the resilience of the human spirit but also the power of creativity amid some of the worst imaginable atrocities.
—The Editors Of Artnews, ARTnews.com, 12 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for atrocity
Cite this Entry
“Atrocity.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/atrocity. Accessed 19 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
atrocity
noun
atroc·i·ty
ə-ˈträs-ət-ē
plural atrocities
1
: the quality or state of being atrocious
2
: something that is atrocious
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