1
as in dreadfulness
the quality of inspiring intense dread or dismay
George Orwell's novel 1984 captures the atrociousness of tyranny
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in badness
the state or quality of being utterly evil
the unspeakable atrociousness of the mass genocide that was perpetrated in that African nation
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in cruelty
disposition to willfully inflict pain and suffering on others
for sheer atrociousness the murders committed by Jack the Ripper occupy a special place in the annals of crime
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for atrociousness
Noun
-
As if to prove that it can’t be exceeded in badness, Playdate has both.—
Frank Scheck,
HollywoodReporter,
12 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
Two swaggering outlaws roll into a mining town and unleash a wave of cruelty.—
Melanie Goodfellow,
Deadline,
20 Jan. 2026
-
Erie police are working with the shelter's cruelty team to get justice for the husky pup, named Aimee after the Erie police dispatcher who took the original call.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
20 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
There are other quirky attractions here, too, like the Clown Motel, where horror enthusiasts can sleep among a collection of more than 6,500 clowns.—
Cailey Rizzo,
Travel + Leisure,
21 Jan. 2026
-
Multiple passengers later said that either Ramseur or Allen were desperately trying to flee from Goetz, even trying to run through the walls of the train as if being pursued by a slasher in a horror movie.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
21 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
In Hollywood, Star 80 wasn’t treated as a failure; was treated as an atrocity.—
Lili Anolik,
Vanity Fair,
12 Jan. 2026
-
John and Pam Hughes called it an atrocity.—
Ryan Hughes,
CBS News,
10 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
For some residents, Good’s killing reopened deep wounds in a city still reckoning with the police murder of George Floyd, which occurred just blocks away in May 2020 and sparked nationwide protests against police brutality.—
Nicole Acevedo,
NBC news,
10 Jan. 2026
-
Captured on video, the incident would bring national tensions over police brutality to a head, igniting months of demonstrations around the country.—
Marc Ramirez,
USA Today,
10 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
On the farthest rung of awfulness, the New York Jets became the first team in NFL history to go an entire season without intercepting a pass.—
Reader Commentary,
Baltimore Sun,
6 Jan. 2026
-
Hence the modest point spread despite Jets’ awfulness.—
Greg Cote
January 1,
Miami Herald,
1 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
This lawless crew shares dramaturgical DNA with the vice figures from medieval morality plays, personifications of sinfulness who would confide their schemes to the audience and make theatergoers their co-conspirators in a riveting game that obviously left its mark on a young Shakespeare.—
Theater Critic,
Los Angeles Times,
17 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
That was really what helped me into the character and into her evilness.—
William Earl,
Variety,
4 Oct. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Atrociousness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/atrociousness. Accessed 22 Jan. 2026.
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