monstrosity

noun

mon·​stros·​i·​ty män-ˈsträ-sə-tē 

plural monstrosities

1

a

: a malformation of a plant or animal

b

: something deviating from the normal : freak

2

: the quality or state of being monstrous

the monstrosity of the tsunami's devastation

3

a

: an object of great and often frightening size, force, or complexity

this monstrosity, the atomic bomb

b

: an excessively bad or shocking example

The new mall is an architectural monstrosity.

Synonyms

• anomaly
• mutation
• monster

Examples of monstrosity in a Sentence

Did you see the new mall? It's a monstrosity.

any monstrosities born to the farm animals were sent to the agricultural college for study

Recent Examples on the Web

Coach Billy Napier, cornerback Devin Moore and Florida’s quarterback each spoke about the offensive monstrosity the evening became, with Florida failing to convert a single one of its 13 third downs and only totaling 141 yards. —Noah White, Miami Herald, 24 Sep. 2025

When human decency and basic civility fall victim to partisanship and ideology, and abhorrence of violence becomes tempered by political aims, monstrosities and tyrannies become possible. —Michael Bloomberg, Twin Cities, 24 Sep. 2025

The latter being especially notable in one of the later levels, which is infested by body-horror-type monstrosities, as their screams are genuinely unnerving. —Ollie Barder, Forbes.com, 19 Sep. 2025

No, the medical bed, that monstrosity smack-dab in the middle of her bedroom, had sealed her fate. —Literary Hub, 19 Sep. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Rhymes for monstrosity

• atrocity
• ferocity
• pomposity
• porosity
• precocity
• schistosity
• velocity
• verbosity
• viscosity
• animosity
• curiosity
• generosity

Kids Definition

monstrosity

noun

mon·​stros·​i·​ty män-ˈsträs-ət-ē 

plural monstrosities

1

: the condition of being monstrous

2

: something monstrous : monster