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
How do men stand by in the community and not address this atrocity?
—
Nick Mordowanec, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Sep. 2025
What if the atrocities amount to genocide?
—Dr. Ewelina U. Ochab, Forbes.com, 7 Sep. 2025
While the Holocaust Museum highlights past atrocities, mass violence and persecution continue to unfold.
—Kelly Haramis, Chicago Tribune, 3 Sep. 2025
In other conflicts in the Middle East, dozens of such atrocities occurred in just a few hours of fighting.
—Amelie Botbol, FOXNews.com, 3 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for atrocity
Nick Mordowanec, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Sep. 2025
What if the atrocities amount to genocide?
—Dr. Ewelina U. Ochab, Forbes.com, 7 Sep. 2025
While the Holocaust Museum highlights past atrocities, mass violence and persecution continue to unfold.
—Kelly Haramis, Chicago Tribune, 3 Sep. 2025
In other conflicts in the Middle East, dozens of such atrocities occurred in just a few hours of fighting.
—Amelie Botbol, FOXNews.com, 3 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for atrocity
Recent Examples of Synonyms for atrocity
Noun
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Netflix struck gold with Wednesday, the supernatural horror-comedy centered on the sardonically morbid teenage daughter of the Addams Family.—
Allison DeGrushe,
Entertainment Weekly,
11 Sep. 2025
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But a heart-wrenching 2016 case report of a boy in Oregon detailed the horrors of what the disease can look like.—
Beth Mole,
ArsTechnica,
11 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Vasquez was charged with second-degree cruelty to juveniles and negligent homicide.—
Angel Saunders,
People.com,
9 Sep. 2025
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But that tale of someone brought into a world that treated him with cruelty and contempt never left him.—
David Fear,
Rolling Stone,
9 Sep. 2025
Noun
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More Ethan Miller/Getty Images Their history is defined by brutality.—
Andrew Ravens,
MSNBC Newsweek,
12 Sep. 2025
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For a country still reckoning with the brutality of its dark past, the trial of several high ranking military officers in a civilian court is a singular achievement.—
Adriana Carranca,
Time,
12 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Howard, now in his 70s, decided to make a film about the fundamental awfulness of other humans, delivering one of his darkest stories in the process.—
Will Leitch,
Vulture,
22 Aug. 2025
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The awfulness of it scrapes my veins, turning everything orange and raw.—
Carly Tagen-Dye,
People.com,
7 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Atrocity.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/atrocity. Accessed 17 Sep. 2025.
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