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 terrible
extremely unsatisfactory
the picture quality on the pirated DVD was atrocious
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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
The first period had echoes of last year’s dominant showings at home, with the Kings turning in a sharp performance and the Habs playing an atrocious 20 minutes.
—
Andrew Knoll, Daily News, 8 Mar. 2026
So, yes, the offense was atrocious at Tuesday’s close, with Herro enduring a second consecutive shooting struggle, now 10 for 32 in his last two.
—Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 25 Feb. 2026
Alesia overfilled the pans, which means the muffins look atrocious.
—Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 10 Feb. 2026
Schein directs the show with tongue firmly planted in cheek, so there are many amusing sight gags (like an atrocious comb-over wig).
—Pam Kragen, San Diego Union-Tribune, 9 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for atrocious
Andrew Knoll, Daily News, 8 Mar. 2026
So, yes, the offense was atrocious at Tuesday’s close, with Herro enduring a second consecutive shooting struggle, now 10 for 32 in his last two.
—Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 25 Feb. 2026
Alesia overfilled the pans, which means the muffins look atrocious.
—Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 10 Feb. 2026
Schein directs the show with tongue firmly planted in cheek, so there are many amusing sight gags (like an atrocious comb-over wig).
—Pam Kragen, San Diego Union-Tribune, 9 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for atrocious
Recent Examples of Synonyms for atrocious
Adjective
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To the stories and history of his grandparents in the El Salvador of the 1980s when a horrific civil war raged.—
Sara Sidner,
CNN Money,
21 Mar. 2026
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The now-notorious Gosselin family of Jon & Kate Plus 8 was secular to the point of the titular couple divorcing, and multiple Gosselin children have since leveled horrific allegations of abuse against their mother.—
Tiana Lowe Doescher,
The Washington Examiner,
20 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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But Kardashian celebrated its terrible reviews, and the series was renewed for a second season.—
Angie Martoccio,
Rolling Stone,
26 Mar. 2026
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One hundred fifteen years later, a memorial to the workers who died reveals itself as a reminder that workers’ rights were purchased at a terrible cost, and that the lives lost there still ask something of us.—
Christina Ray Stanton,
New York Daily News,
25 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Still, the timeline for elimination came as news to guard Josh Giddey in the locker room after Wednesday’s brutal 157-137 blowout loss to the Philadelphia 76ers.—
Julia Poe,
Chicago Tribune,
28 Mar. 2026
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Iran’s brutal regime retains a solid grip in Tehran, in Iraq through proxies, and in Lebanese society through Hezbollah.—
Nick Paton Walsh,
CNN Money,
27 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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The gruesome images of tanks blown apart by drones in Ukraine did not dissuade anyone from purchasing these systems.—
Simon Shuster,
The Atlantic,
27 Mar. 2026
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Because of his ability to appeal to jurors with at times folksy explanations of gruesome subjects like the dynamic of blood spatter, prosecution and defense lawyers competed for his testimony at trials.—
Edmund H. Mahony,
Hartford Courant,
27 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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The point was to reduce the horrible pelvic pain caused by her endometriosis (a condition in which estrogen-reliant endometrial tissue grows outside the uterus).—
Erica Sloan,
SELF,
20 Mar. 2026
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Continue reading … JOHN KOUFOS — California’s get-out-of-jail-free card could put children at risk of horrible violence.—
,
FOXNews.com,
20 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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The stalemate stems from Democrats’ insistence on immigration-enforcement reform — particularly, the cruel and often erroneous enforcement that is sending shockwaves of fear throughout immigrant populations and even distressing American-citizen residents of Puerto Rico.—
Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board,
The Orlando Sentinel,
21 Mar. 2026
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Shaw called the revelation an appalling and cruel irony.—
Stephanie Elam,
CNN Money,
21 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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The season cancellation on March 19 comes after TMZ published a shocking video showing the 2023 violent altercation with Paul, seen yelling, hitting, kicking and throwing furniture at Mortensen while a child is heard crying.—
Anthony Robledo,
USA Today,
21 Mar. 2026
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Garcia said the shocking allegations became public at a time when many Mexican Americans are seeing immigration arrests ripping families apart, people afraid to leave their homes, immigrants in prolonged detention and some dying in immigration custody.—
Nicole Acevedo,
NBC news,
20 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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She got caught in a really bad cycle, and just seeing that video, and yes, the child being involved is awful; everyone involved is really hard.—
McKinley Franklin,
HollywoodReporter,
25 Mar. 2026
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That defense was looking awful.—
Ira Winderman,
Sun Sentinel,
23 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Atrocious.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/atrocious. Accessed 29 Mar. 2026.
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