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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
People who inflict pain and commit atrocities are good at justifying their behavior.
—
Cressida Leyshon, New Yorker, 15 June 2025
Throughout, the novel chips away at its foundational questions: Does there exist a punishment equal to the atrocity of killing one’s child?
—The New Yorker, New Yorker, 9 June 2025
The story of the atrocity is still being unearthed 140 years later.
—Stephen Miller, Bluesky Social, 5 June 2025
Yet, instead of universal outrage, attempts to justify this atrocity have already begun — as if these cold-blooded murders can somehow be rationalized by events in Gaza thousands of miles away.
—Laurence Milstein, Sun Sentinel, 4 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for atrocity
Cressida Leyshon, New Yorker, 15 June 2025
Throughout, the novel chips away at its foundational questions: Does there exist a punishment equal to the atrocity of killing one’s child?
—The New Yorker, New Yorker, 9 June 2025
The story of the atrocity is still being unearthed 140 years later.
—Stephen Miller, Bluesky Social, 5 June 2025
Yet, instead of universal outrage, attempts to justify this atrocity have already begun — as if these cold-blooded murders can somehow be rationalized by events in Gaza thousands of miles away.
—Laurence Milstein, Sun Sentinel, 4 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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The quiet horror is that even 20 years later, the fence has not disappeared.—
Philip Martin,
Arkansas Online,
27 June 2025
Noun
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Perhaps the surprise return of Egghead Vance will turn it into symbol of resistance, seen at every demonstration against the cruelties and greed of the Trump machine.—
Miles Klee,
Rolling Stone,
25 June 2025
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Other laws set to take effect on July 1 in Florida include House Bill 255, establishing harsher penalties for animal cruelty, and House Bill 653, setting new aggravating factors when determining whether someone convicted of a capital felony should receive the death penalty.—
Jenna Sundel,
MSNBC Newsweek,
24 June 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 4 Jul. 2025.
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