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

Yes, the atrocities occurred before social media took hold, before video streaming, before camera phones became commonplace. — David Friend, Vanity Fair, 10 Sep. 2026

Jayhawkers were considered thieves, marauders & guerrillas (hence why yours were in jail) know for atrocities such as the Sacking of Osceola. — Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 8 Sep. 2026

The atrocities committed in March 2022 by Russian troops at Bucha, an outlying area of Kyiv, were intensely reported at the time, notably by the New York Times. — Nick Holdstock, The Dial, 8 Sep. 2026

There was no hiding from the atrocity of a 3-14 season that left large swaths of the Jets fan base already calling for Glenn’s head. — Zack Rosenblatt, New York Times, 8 Sep. 2026