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
Many of the gravesites that pockmark the north and east of the country are believed to contain the victims of atrocities committed during the civil war.
—Helen Regan, CNN Money, 30 Nov. 2025
The text condemned atrocities by both sides in the war and called for an immediate ceasefire, but, amid a reported lobbying blitz by the UAE, amendments criticizing the Gulf country were omitted.
—Dominic Dudley, semafor.com, 28 Nov. 2025
The silence of the G-20 declaration on this and other jihadi atrocities on the continent is a moral disgrace, revealing the gathering to be a heartless charade that history will judge harshly.
—Paul Tilsley , Efrat Lachter, FOXNews.com, 23 Nov. 2025
Walker commended Minaj for using her celebrity platform to speak out on the atrocity.
—David Zimmermann, The Washington Examiner, 22 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for atrocity
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Helen Regan, CNN Money, 30 Nov. 2025
The text condemned atrocities by both sides in the war and called for an immediate ceasefire, but, amid a reported lobbying blitz by the UAE, amendments criticizing the Gulf country were omitted.
—Dominic Dudley, semafor.com, 28 Nov. 2025
The silence of the G-20 declaration on this and other jihadi atrocities on the continent is a moral disgrace, revealing the gathering to be a heartless charade that history will judge harshly.
—Paul Tilsley , Efrat Lachter, FOXNews.com, 23 Nov. 2025
Walker commended Minaj for using her celebrity platform to speak out on the atrocity.
—David Zimmermann, The Washington Examiner, 22 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for atrocity
Cite this Entry
“Atrocity.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/atrocity. Accessed 7 Dec. 2025.
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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