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
Post-Soviet framing requires the work to serve as evidence—documentation proving atrocity—which collapses the forty-year gap between event and acknowledgment into transparent testimony.
—Anel Rakhimzhanova, Artforum, 1 Mar. 2026
Moviegoers weren’t discouraged to go to the movies despite the cartel atrocities earlier in the week in Mexico where the Neve Campbell movie did $3M at 870 cinemas, +34% over Scream VI, and record debut for series and YTD.
—Anthony D'alessandro, Deadline, 1 Mar. 2026
Stanley, meanwhile, focused on the Judges’ Trial — the men who wore robes, presided over law and order and signed their names to atrocity.
—Karen Kramer, Variety, 27 Feb. 2026
Milo Rau, the Swiss playwright and director who began staging this pungent project back in 2011, and who has toured it worldwide, has made a specialty of examining atrocity onstage.
—Emily Nussbaum, New Yorker, 26 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for atrocity
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Anel Rakhimzhanova, Artforum, 1 Mar. 2026
Moviegoers weren’t discouraged to go to the movies despite the cartel atrocities earlier in the week in Mexico where the Neve Campbell movie did $3M at 870 cinemas, +34% over Scream VI, and record debut for series and YTD.
—Anthony D'alessandro, Deadline, 1 Mar. 2026
Stanley, meanwhile, focused on the Judges’ Trial — the men who wore robes, presided over law and order and signed their names to atrocity.
—Karen Kramer, Variety, 27 Feb. 2026
Milo Rau, the Swiss playwright and director who began staging this pungent project back in 2011, and who has toured it worldwide, has made a specialty of examining atrocity onstage.
—Emily Nussbaum, New Yorker, 26 Feb. 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 6 Mar. 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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