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
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
The State Police and DA Ryan’s office covered up this atrocious crime for 25 months — until February of this year.
—
Howie Carr, Boston Herald, 26 Apr. 2026
Trump poses as a pro-worker force, but his policies are atrocious for the laboring class.
—Business Columnist, Los Angeles Times, 22 Apr. 2026
But that’s exactly what happened in the second half of an atrocious Rockets’ Game 2 loss to the Lakers.
—Dan Woike, New York Times, 22 Apr. 2026
They’ve been defeated decisively in their past three games and their special teams have been atrocious across the span of their funk, killing just two thirds of their penalties and converting on only 8% of power-play opportunities.
—Andrew Knoll, Oc Register, 8 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for atrocious
Howie Carr, Boston Herald, 26 Apr. 2026
Trump poses as a pro-worker force, but his policies are atrocious for the laboring class.
—Business Columnist, Los Angeles Times, 22 Apr. 2026
But that’s exactly what happened in the second half of an atrocious Rockets’ Game 2 loss to the Lakers.
—Dan Woike, New York Times, 22 Apr. 2026
They’ve been defeated decisively in their past three games and their special teams have been atrocious across the span of their funk, killing just two thirds of their penalties and converting on only 8% of power-play opportunities.
—Andrew Knoll, Oc Register, 8 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for atrocious
Recent Examples of Synonyms for atrocious
Adjective
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Critically, Michael doesn’t recoil when Jackie shares her horrific story.—
Ryan Lattanzio,
IndieWire,
1 May 2026
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And Russia has struggled to replenish its military ranks amid horrific casualties on the Ukrainian front line.—
Nathan Hodge,
CNN Money,
29 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Now, nearly two years later, the school finds itself in a terrible spot, as accusations of serious misconduct arise and an investigation by the athletic department heats up.—
Trey Wallace OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
7 May 2026
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And, betting on terrible outcomes doesn't signify what the better actually wants to happen.—
Alyssa Goldberg,
USA Today,
7 May 2026
Adjective
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Caesar Lorenzo Wilson, 54, was sentenced to 224 years in prison for the 2024 murder of University of Colorado Colorado Springs (UCCS) professor Haleh Abghari, a killing prosecutors say began as a burglary and ended in a brutal stabbing inside her own home.—
Stepheny Price,
FOXNews.com,
8 May 2026
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No arrests have ever been made in the brutal killings of Russell and Shirley Dermond.—
Dan Raby,
CBS News,
8 May 2026
Adjective
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But some of our most gruesome memories as a band are also our favorites.—
Katie Gavin,
Time,
8 May 2026
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The truth the jury learned was far more gruesome.—
Nicole Russell,
USA Today,
7 May 2026
Adjective
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Italy has not been of any help to us and Spain has been horrible.—
Rebecca Schneid,
Time,
3 May 2026
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Aston Villa 1-1 Tottenham Chelsea vs Nottingham Forest Again, this is horrible scheduling on a Bank Holiday Monday afternoon, three days before Forest go to Villa for the second leg of that Europa League semi-final.—
Oliver Kay,
New York Times,
1 May 2026
Adjective
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Its cruel and even lawless excesses have reverberated around the globe.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
9 May 2026
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This is how cruel football can be.—
Elias Burke,
New York Times,
7 May 2026
Adjective
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But early polls have showed Schlossberg parlaying his Kennedy aura, name recognition and attention-grabbing social media chops into a shocking lead, with Bores also in the mix.—
Dave Goldiner,
New York Daily News,
9 May 2026
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Six permanent outdoor works are dotted around the property, including a large rocket by Polish artist Goshka Macuga and a shocking pink tree, commissioned specifically for the island, by Pamela Rosenkranz.—
Fiona Sinclair Scott,
CNN Money,
9 May 2026
Adjective
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And there was going to be an awful lot of emotional resonance and relatability with today’s generation of young women with Mary Bennet, more so than there would be [with Elizabeth Bennet.—
K.J. Yossman,
Variety,
7 May 2026
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The mother-haver at Forster’s school could never trust in the safety of his awful secret.—
Jessica Winter,
New Yorker,
7 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Atrocious.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/atrocious. Accessed 10 May. 2026.
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