1
as in horror
the quality of inspiring intense dread or dismay
the undeniable atrocity of the forced march of Cherokees known as the Trail of Tears
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in badness
the state or quality of being utterly evil
was appalled by the atrocity of Stalin's mass executions
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3
as in cruelty
disposition to willfully inflict pain and suffering on others
wars often unleash a level of atrocity that would be unimaginable in peacetime
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of atrocity
Writers dealing with historical atrocities are forced to handfeed research to readers who might have never learned much if anything about them in school.
—
Aram Mrjoian
june 6, Literary Hub, 6 June 2025
The former mayor of a small rural village in Haiti, accused of torturing and killing opponents in his homeland, was sentenced Friday in a Massachusetts federal court to nine years in prison for lying about the atrocities in order to obtain a U.S. green card.
—Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 20 June 2025
Hamas’ atrocities on Oct. 7, and their Iranian patrons’ dash toward nuclear weapons, have only strengthened our determination to build a better future for Iran, Israel and the region.
—Shervin Pishevar, New York Daily News, 19 June 2025
That commission, set up by then-President Nelson Mandela, attempted to confront the atrocities of apartheid in the years after the system officially ended in 1994.
—Michelle Gumede, Los Angeles Times, 19 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for atrocity
Aram Mrjoian
june 6, Literary Hub, 6 June 2025
The former mayor of a small rural village in Haiti, accused of torturing and killing opponents in his homeland, was sentenced Friday in a Massachusetts federal court to nine years in prison for lying about the atrocities in order to obtain a U.S. green card.
—Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 20 June 2025
Hamas’ atrocities on Oct. 7, and their Iranian patrons’ dash toward nuclear weapons, have only strengthened our determination to build a better future for Iran, Israel and the region.
—Shervin Pishevar, New York Daily News, 19 June 2025
That commission, set up by then-President Nelson Mandela, attempted to confront the atrocities of apartheid in the years after the system officially ended in 1994.
—Michelle Gumede, Los Angeles Times, 19 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for atrocity
Recent Examples of Synonyms for atrocity
Noun
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Her post-Sisterhood career has featured roles in horror flicks (The Grudge 2), cringe comedies (The Increasingly Poor Decisions of Todd Margaret), medical dramas (House), and sitcoms (Two and a Half Men).—
EW.com,
EW.com,
28 June 2025
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Dark Universe is where monsters from Universal’s classic horror films – like Frankenstein, Dracula and the Invisible Man – live on in the village of Darkmoor.—
Eve Chen,
USA Today,
27 June 2025
Noun
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The new law adds to existing municipal ordinances that forbid animal cruelty or neglect, including leaving a pet in too small of a space or outside in the hot Florida sun.—
Shira Moolten,
Sun Sentinel,
3 July 2025
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Miller faces four counts of cruelty to a companion animal and 34 counts of complicity.—
Aaron Valdez,
The Enquirer,
2 July 2025
Noun
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Pellegrino does get into the brutality of the Japanese forces.—
Mike Fleming Jr,
Deadline,
27 June 2025
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Yet, in the nearly two years since then, the brutality and intensity of Israel’s military campaign in the Gaza Strip have mobilized opposition around the world.—
Ahmed Fouad Alkhatib,
The Atlantic,
26 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Atrocity.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/atrocity. Accessed 12 Jul. 2025.
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