Synonyms of atrocity

atrocity

noun

ə-ˈträ-sə-tē 

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

• horror
• dreadfulness
• awfulness
• frightfulness
• gruesomeness
• ghastliness
• hideousness
• repulsiveness
• horridness
• atrociousness
• fearfulness
• agony
• grisliness
• torture
• badness
• evil
• sinfulness
• monstrosity
• heinousness
• anguish
• misery
• vileness
• wickedness
• baseness
• viciousness
• immorality
• evilness
• depravity
• invidiousness
• foulness
• hatefulness
• loathsomeness
• iniquity
• ungodliness
• ghoulishness
• torment
• scariness
• ghostliness
• eeriness
• creepiness
• fearsomeness
• hellishness
• depravedness
• diabolicalness
• iniquitousness
• despicableness
• execrableness
• accursedness
• cursedness
• deplorableness
• detestableness
• reprehensibleness

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• pleasantness
• agreeableness
• appeal
• attraction
• desirability
• delightfulness
• pleasurableness
• attractiveness
• allurement
• desirableness

2

as in badness

the state or quality of being utterly evil

was appalled by the atrocity of Stalin's mass executions

Synonyms & Similar Words

• badness
• sinfulness
• evilness
• vileness
• heinousness
• corruption
• wickedness
• hideousness
• enormity
• depravity
• atrociousness
• notoriety
• monstrosity
• depravedness
• diabolicalness
• baseness
• fiendishness
• immorality
• decadence
• devilishness
• degeneracy
• hellishness
• infamy
• execrableness
• accursedness
• cursedness
• pervertedness

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• goodness
• righteousness
• morality
• purity
• virtuousness
• innocence
• chasteness

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

• cruelty
• brutality
• barbarity
• savagery
• inhumanity
• savageness
• sadism
• murderousness
• heartlessness
• fiendishness
• cruelness
• viciousness
• barbarousness
• inhumanness
• atrociousness
• wantonness
• truculence
• ruthlessness
• mercilessness
• ferocity
• pitilessness
• oppressiveness
• grimness
• meanness
• malevolence
• bloodthirstiness
• ferociousness
• unfeelingness
• fierceness
• bloodlust
• spitefulness
• hatefulness
• maliciousness
• malignity
• hard-heartedness
• sanguinity
• fellness
• harshness
• sanguineness
• despitefulness
• nastiness
• heavy-handedness
• cattiness
• hardhandedness

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• sympathy
• humanity
• compassion
• kindness
• humaneness
• benignity
• tenderness
• warmth
• pity
• tenderheartedness
• warmness
• kindheartedness
• mercy
• good-heartedness
• leniency
• clemency
• warmheartedness
• charitableness
• mercifulness

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of atrocity

Many of the Russian journalists working in Ukraine at the start of the war, where atrocities wage on, now have criminal cases against them. — Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 7 Oct. 2026

To Lose Their Citizenship Abraham noted during a Q&A at NYFF that much of the film overlaps with previous reporting and that atrocities in Gaza have been documented for years. — Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 2 Oct. 2026

Eritrean forces fought alongside Ethiopia’s federal military during the previous war and were accused of atrocities against Tigrayan civilians. — Alemayehu Fentaw Weldemariam, The Conversation, 29 Sep. 2026

At the heart of this speculative novel is an unspeakable atrocity that serves as the premise of Kathy’s life. — The Week Us, TheWeek, 28 Sep. 2026