atrocity
noun
atroc·i·ty
ə-ˈträ-sə-tē 
plural atrocities
1
: a shockingly bad or atrocious act, object, or situation
the atrocities of war
2
: the quality or state of being atrocious
… the paralysing atrocity of the thought which occupied her.—
Joseph Conrad
Joseph ConradSynonyms
Examples of atrocity in a Sentence
Atrocities were committed by forces on both sides of the conflict.
Who could be capable of such atrocity?
Recent Examples on the Web
Non-Burman, non-Buddhist communities are marginalized, oppressed, and subjected to a campaign of violence involving a litany of atrocity crimes.
—Justin Gest, Newsweek, 20 Jan. 2025
The State Department, for instance, issued a formal atrocity determination in 2023 that named Ethiopian forces responsible for war crimes and crimes against humanity.
—Sarah Yager, Foreign Affairs, 14 Jan. 2025
Elephants are often snatched by poachers who commit atrocities ranging from killing mothers in front of their children to repeatedly stabbing baby elephants into submission.
—Andrea Margolis, Fox News, 11 Jan. 2025
The free publicity from Musk was a potential boon for AfD, which has been frozen out of mainstream German politics, in part, because its leaders have downplayed Nazi atrocities.
—David Ingram, NBC News, 9 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for atrocity 
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Justin Gest, Newsweek, 20 Jan. 2025
The State Department, for instance, issued a formal atrocity determination in 2023 that named Ethiopian forces responsible for war crimes and crimes against humanity.
—Sarah Yager, Foreign Affairs, 14 Jan. 2025
Elephants are often snatched by poachers who commit atrocities ranging from killing mothers in front of their children to repeatedly stabbing baby elephants into submission.
—Andrea Margolis, Fox News, 11 Jan. 2025
The free publicity from Musk was a potential boon for AfD, which has been frozen out of mainstream German politics, in part, because its leaders have downplayed Nazi atrocities.
—David Ingram, NBC News, 9 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for atrocity
Dictionary Entries Near atrocity
Cite this Entry
“Atrocity.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/atrocity. Accessed 29 Jan. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
atrocity
noun
atroc·i·ty
ə-ˈträs-ət-ē
plural atrocities
1
: the quality or state of being atrocious
2
: something that is atrocious
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