1
as in horrific
extremely disturbing or repellent
an atrocious crime that shocked even hardened members of the police force
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in horrible
extremely unsatisfactory
the picture quality on the pirated DVD was atrocious
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in brutal
having or showing the desire to inflict severe pain and suffering on others
the atrocious treatment of prisoners at the camps
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of atrocious
Of course, there will always be times when a company catches you by surprise and lists your name along with other underperforming employees in a cop-out to cover their atrocious layoffs.
—
Rachel Wells, Forbes.com, 5 May 2025
The pricing for a Pro account is, frankly, atrocious.
—PC Magazine, 16 Apr. 2025
Their pitching has been atrocious, with a combined ERA of 4.57 that ranks 25th in MLB.
—Arick Wierson, MSNBC Newsweek, 16 Apr. 2025
But his plate discipline was atrocious, as evidenced by 113 strikeouts compared to only nine walks.
—Daniel R. Depetris, Newsweek, 25 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for atrocious
Rachel Wells, Forbes.com, 5 May 2025
The pricing for a Pro account is, frankly, atrocious.
—PC Magazine, 16 Apr. 2025
Their pitching has been atrocious, with a combined ERA of 4.57 that ranks 25th in MLB.
—Arick Wierson, MSNBC Newsweek, 16 Apr. 2025
But his plate discipline was atrocious, as evidenced by 113 strikeouts compared to only nine walks.
—Daniel R. Depetris, Newsweek, 25 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for atrocious
Recent Examples of Synonyms for atrocious
Adjective
-
Abuse Of Power: Season 1 (May 19) Long-running ID series American Monster enters a new chapter with Abuse of Power, a long-form series that takes on cases where horrific crimes and scandals were covered up and disposed of by authority figures.—
K. Thor Jensen,
PC Magazine,
16 May 2025
-
Sheriff’s officials released footage that showed the horrific attack.—
Darrell Smith,
Sacbee.com,
15 May 2025
Adjective
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However, her tragic demise spooks and haunts Jen, since her death is incredibly horrible and sad, rocking the whole Capesode community.—
Lisa Stardust,
People.com,
14 May 2025
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Jurors viewed for a fifth time in two days the video footage of the horrible beating that followed.—
Kevin Dolak,
HollywoodReporter,
13 May 2025
Adjective
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Lori survives the brutal events of prom night, but not without a fight.—
Jane LaCroix,
People.com,
24 May 2025
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Amid the brutal cuts across the federal government under the Trump administration, perhaps one of the most gutting is the loss of experts at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention who respond to lead poisoning in children.—
John Timmer,
ArsTechnica,
23 May 2025
Adjective
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But the rich emotional depth of that film is matched in Bring Her Back, a horror movie that delights in gruesome practical effects but also presents a nuanced character study, with little judgement passed on its bereaved antagonist, Laura.—
Madison Bloom,
Pitchfork,
16 May 2025
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It was later discovered he had been killed in a gruesome attack that U.S. intelligence says was ordered by the country's de facto leader Mohammed bin Salman.—
Domenico Montanaro,
NPR,
16 May 2025
Adjective
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Djokovic knew he’d be seeded to play one of Jannik Sinner, Carlos Alcaraz, Alexander Zverev or Taylor Fritz in the quarters, and in the end landed Zverev, which isn’t a terrible outcome, but would leave him with a possible Sinner-Alcaraz double bill in the semifinals and final to lift the trophy.—
Charlie Eccleshare,
New York Times,
22 May 2025
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One night the fish was very overcooked and covered with a terrible sauce.—
Sheah Rarback,
Miami Herald,
22 May 2025
Adjective
-
Scheifele’s emotional and inspirational decision to play mere hours after his father’s unexpected death — to play for his dad, to play because of his dad — ended in cruel fashion, with Scheifele helpless in the penalty box.—
Mark Lazerus,
New York Times,
18 May 2025
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At first the program seems to be benign, but Hayakawa’s film steadily reveals how the policy thrives on the cruel capitalist tenet that people are disposable.—
Lovia Gyarkye,
HollywoodReporter,
17 May 2025
Adjective
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While many have praised the tenacity of the 28-year-old Georgia woman, others have expressed doubts about the veracity of her shocking survival story and have criticized her family’s fundraising motives.—
Clara Harter,
Los Angeles Times,
22 May 2025
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Strategic Planning Gaps: Only 12% of CEOs have a formal AI deployment roadmap extending beyond one year—a shocking statistic given that most expect to be judged on AI results within a two-year timeframe.—
Caroline Castrillon,
Forbes.com,
22 May 2025
Adjective
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The downsides are that DEET smells awful, is oily, and can damage anything with plastic in it, like synthetic clothing and camping gear.—
Kristin Canning,
Wired News,
21 May 2025
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But Eleanor has backed herself into an awful corner, and in some ways, so too has Johansson’s film, which is stuck trying to impart sage wisdom through the lens of a truly hideous (if well-meaning) lie.—
Kate Erbland,
IndieWire,
20 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Atrocious.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/atrocious. Accessed 27 May. 2025.
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