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

While both the Sudanese Armed Forces and RSF are accused of committing atrocities, recent reports have highlighted the brutality of the RSF. — Chris Massaro, FOXNews.com, 29 July 2026

In the last months of World War II, as the Allies were rolling through Europe, Lee Miller headed to Germany to photograph an atrocity. — Air Mail, 25 July 2026

Officials from the United Nations – and the United States – have warned that an RSF ground attack could lead to mass atrocities, possibly on the scale of el-Fasher. — Mat Nashed, Christian Science Monitor, 21 July 2026

Break the Bonds is a national effort to end investment in Israel Bonds, financial instruments that act as unrestricted loans to the Israeli government, underwriting Israel’s atrocities in Gaza and beyond. — Danny Kaplowitz, New York Daily News, 20 July 2026