enormity

noun

enor·​mi·​ty i-ˈnȯr-mə-tē 

plural enormities

1

: an outrageous, improper, vicious, or immoral act

the enormities of state power

—Susan Sontag

other enormities too juvenile to mention

—Richard Freedman

2

: the quality or state of being immoderate, monstrous, or outrageous

especially : great wickedness

the enormity of the crimes committed during the Third Reich

—G. A. Craig

3

: the quality or state of being huge : immensity

the inconceivable enormity of the universe

4

: a quality of momentous importance or impact

the enormity of the decision

Enormity vs. Enormousness: Usage Guide

The original meanings that enormity carried related to great wickedness, and some assert that enormity should today only be used with such meanings, and that enormousness is the proper word to use to mean "large size." Despite these claims, enormity frequently refers to large size, either literal or figurative, though it usually suggests something so large as to seem overwhelming.

the enormity of the task at hand

Enormity can also refer to a shocking, evil, or immoral act

the enormities of war

and it can also suggest both great size and deviation from morality.

The enormity of existing stockpiles of atomic weapons …

—New Republic

Enormity can also emphasize the momentousness of what has happened or of its consequences.

not fully grasping the enormity of their decision

It's worth noting that enormousness formerly shared the disagreeable meanings that enormity still carries, but it now means merely "large size."

Did you know?

Although enormity has been used since the late 1700s to denote large size, this usage continues to be disparaged by various language commentators who argue that enormity should be reserved for senses related to "great wickedness." It is enormousness, they insist (a hefty and considerably less common word), that should be used in reference to great size, despite the fact that, like enormity, it too originally was used to denote wickedness or divergence from accepted moral standards. For better or worse, this proscription has been widely ignored by many English speakers, including professional writers. However one chooses to use them, enormity and enormous can both be traced back to the Latin enormis, from the prefix e- ("out of") and norma ("rule," "pattern," or "carpenter's square").

Synonyms of enormity

• badness
• sinfulness
• atrocity
• evilness
• heinousness

Examples of enormity in a Sentence

We were shocked at the enormity of the crime.

They didn't fully grasp the enormity of their decision.

Recent Examples on the Web

Despite the enormity of these crimes, many United Nations member states continue to recognize and engage with this illegitimate regime, thereby perpetuating its impunity. —Efrat Lachter, FOXNews.com, 12 Nov. 2025

For many Americans, there might be a temptation to disbelieve the enormity of what has happened in the Gaza Strip. —Lydia Polgreen, Mercury News, 25 Oct. 2025

So was the enormity of all that was lost, an era that has ended. —Charlotte Varnes, New York Times, 10 Oct. 2025

Despite its enormity, the Peasants’ War and its bloody defeat have been forgotten in recent years. —Literary Hub, 25 Sep. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for enormity

• conformity
• deformity
• disconformity
• nonconformity
• unconformity
• uniformity
• nonuniformity

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Kids Definition

enormity

noun

enor·​mi·​ty i-ˈnȯr-mət-ē 

plural enormities

1

: great wickedness

the enormity of the crime

2

: an outrageous or immoral act or offense

3

: very large size

4

: the quality of great impact or importance