1
as in horrific
extremely disturbing or repellent
an atrocious crime that shocked even hardened members of the police force
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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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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of atrocious
That fact is included in some of the earlier, multiple police reports about him, but not in the most recent ones, where he’s charged with his more atrocious crimes.
—
Howie Carr, Boston Herald, 22 Mar. 2026
Then Washington wouldn’t have been playing an atrocious lineup.
—Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 12 Mar. 2026
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
See All Example Sentences for atrocious
Howie Carr, Boston Herald, 22 Mar. 2026
Then Washington wouldn’t have been playing an atrocious lineup.
—Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 12 Mar. 2026
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
See All Example Sentences for atrocious
Recent Examples of Synonyms for atrocious
Adjective
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Earlier in the month, the courts heard the horrific and emotional testimonies of camp counselors of that night as part of the lawsuit.—
Mateo Rosiles,
USA Today,
27 Apr. 2026
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So even as the Nazi regime was radicalizing through the 1930s and committing horrific violence, the German population was still laughing and being entertained.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
27 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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If anything, great public pressure being brought to bear is a terrible reason to dispense with due-process protections designed to protect the legal rights of individuals, and crafting one exception would seem to create a precedent for crafting others.—
Jon Allsop,
New Yorker,
24 Apr. 2026
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Some members of Congress, along with airline CEOs and analysts, say the bailout would be a terrible idea.—
Donald Judd,
CNN Money,
23 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Derrick White, who endured his third straight brutal shooting game (3-for-12; 1-for-8 from three), set up Tatum’s dagger with one of his two fourth-quarter offensive rebounds.—
Zack Cox,
Boston Herald,
25 Apr. 2026
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The right-hander, who signed a two-year, $22 million deal with a club option for 2028 in the offseason, has had a brutal start to his tenure with San Francisco (11-15).—
Justice delos Santos,
Mercury News,
25 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said the Biden administration failed victims by not seeking the death penalty in many violent and gruesome cases.—
Claire Carter,
The Washington Examiner,
24 Apr. 2026
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Like Richards, many people also invite the public into the somewhat gruesome medical process.—
Rheana Murray,
The Atlantic,
23 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Your cab driver is taking you on a horrible route.—
Zach Schiffman,
Curbed,
24 Apr. 2026
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There’s enough cop shows, stories about how horrible the world is, enough plot lines that are similar to each other.—
Annika Pham,
Variety,
24 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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In what neatly encapsulates the uncomfortable, rude, thin-skinned yet cruel, sarcastic and ultimately juvenile communication style of his online brood, the leader of the pack started with — what else — Lawrence’s looks.—
Kevin Dolak,
HollywoodReporter,
22 Apr. 2026
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Every day in New York City, thousands of home attendants are being forced to work cruel 24-hour shifts while being paid for only 13 of those hours.—
Christopher Marte,
New York Daily News,
21 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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In the furthest part of space lies Dante 01, a detention facility that houses criminals who have committed the most shocking crimes imaginable.—
Sergio Pereira,
Space.com,
25 Apr. 2026
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Their latest documentary series looks set to continue that streak, exploring a shocking real case of love, betrayal, and justice.—
Fleurine Tideman,
Glamour,
25 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Their banter is empty because outside the season’s premiere, The Boys hasn’t actually shown us this awful America, and how everyone within it, including celebrities, are at risk.—
Roxana Hadadi,
Vulture,
29 Apr. 2026
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This state has had some awful governors, but none in modern times ever attempted anything so repugnant as exposing more children to deadly diseases, as DeSantis has.—
Orlando Sentinel,
The Orlando Sentinel,
29 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Atrocious.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/atrocious. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
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