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
Online hate speech and misinformation have been implicated in fueling atrocities in places like Myanmar, Ethiopia and Sri Lanka.
—Arnaud Kurze, The Conversation, 9 Mar. 2026
This is just a small, partial list of atrocities against Americans since the Islamic Revolution in Iran.
—Bobby Zirkin, Baltimore Sun, 8 Mar. 2026
Then, drive 20 minutes down the road to the Cape Coast Castle Museum, which acknowledges the grim atrocities and consequences of slavery.
—Melanie Van Zyl, Travel + Leisure, 6 Mar. 2026
In short, now that the feud has grown into a major battle of AI companies trying to establish themselves as the ethical choice — if there even could be one given the atrocities being committed in Iran — the broader tech industry remains unimpressed.
—Victor Tangermann, Futurism, 5 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for atrocity
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Arnaud Kurze, The Conversation, 9 Mar. 2026
This is just a small, partial list of atrocities against Americans since the Islamic Revolution in Iran.
—Bobby Zirkin, Baltimore Sun, 8 Mar. 2026
Then, drive 20 minutes down the road to the Cape Coast Castle Museum, which acknowledges the grim atrocities and consequences of slavery.
—Melanie Van Zyl, Travel + Leisure, 6 Mar. 2026
In short, now that the feud has grown into a major battle of AI companies trying to establish themselves as the ethical choice — if there even could be one given the atrocities being committed in Iran — the broader tech industry remains unimpressed.
—Victor Tangermann, Futurism, 5 Mar. 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 14 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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