enormity

noun enor·mi·ty \ i-ˈnȯr-mə-tē \

Updated on: 12 Apr 2018

Definition of enormity

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

See enormity defined for English-language learners

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enormity vs. enormousness

Enormity, some people insist, is improperly used to denote large size. They insist on enormousness for this meaning, and would limit enormity to the meaning "great wickedness." Those who urge such a limitation may not recognize the subtlety with which enormity is actually used. It regularly denotes a considerable departure from the expected or normal.

- they awakened; they sat up; and then the enormity of their situation burst upon them. "How did the fire start?"
- —John Steinbeck

When used to denote large size, either literal or figurative, it usually suggests something so large as to seem overwhelming

- no intermediate zone of study. Either the enormity of the desert or the sight of a tiny flower
- —Paul Theroux
- the enormity of the task of teachers in slum schools
- —J. B. Conant

and may even be used to suggest both great size and deviation from morality.

- the enormity of existing stockpiles of atomic weapons
- —New Republic

It can also emphasize the momentousness of what has happened

- the sombre enormity of the Russian Revolution
- —George Steiner

or of its consequences.

- perceived as no one in the family could the enormity of the misfortune
- —E. L. Doctorow

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 of enormity from the Web

There’s something genuinely exciting about the prospect of a Facebook without Zuckerberg at the helm, a Facebook that really understands the enormity of its global influence.

— felix salmon, WIRED, "The Case for A Zuck-Free Facebook," 3 Apr. 2018
The filmmakers, however, don’t seem inclined to confront the enormity of Rajneesh’s crimes, or ask why so many people who encountered the cult reached for this term to describe it.

— win mccormack, The New Republic, "Outside the Limits of the Human Imagination," 27 Mar. 2018
My daughter is too young to understand the enormity of what happened that day.

— refinery29.com, "The School Walkout Was A Powerful, But Privileged Protest," 19 Mar. 2018
Calls of cowardice came from cable hosts: Think about the enormity of this heroism.

— david french, National Review, "No, It’s Not Cowardly to Be Conservative on Gun Rights," 15 Feb. 2018
In 2014, he was named Beatport’s fourth highest-selling artist of all time -- a figure which comes as no surprise given the sheer enormity of his catalog (a quick search on Beatport reveals nearly 1,000 tracks credited to him).

— michael sundius, Billboard, "UMEK Talks Techno, Tronic & Cryptocurrency; Plus, Listen to New EP 'Certain Trace': Exclusive," 8 Feb. 2018
That flag Ajayi wore was one more symbol of the enormity of the whole thing.

— mike jensen, Philly.com, "How Jay Ajayi helped the Eagles solve the Super Bowl puzzle | Mike Jensen," 5 Feb. 2018
The enormity of the decision hasn't been lost on Smith, his immediate family and Spartan nation, and his senior season was filled with many fond memories highlighted by an 8-2 regular season finish and a postseason victory.

— pat mashburn, NOLA.com, "Salmen's Eddie Smith prepared for next chapter, as he's set to announce college choice," 5 Feb. 2018
Yet none of the enormities since 2013 have dimmed the hopes of American policymakers.

— michael brendan dougherty, National Review, "What Are We Still Doing in Syria?," 25 Jan. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'enormity.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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").