atrocious

adjective

atro·​cious ə-ˈtrō-shəs 

1

: extremely wicked, brutal, or cruel : barbaric

prisoners subjected to atrocious treatment

2

: appalling, horrifying

the atrocious weapons of modern war

an atrocious accident

3

a

: utterly revolting : abominable

atrocious working conditions

atrocious weather

b

: of very poor quality

atrocious handwriting

atrociously adverb

atrociousness noun

Synonyms

• appalling
• awful
• dreadful
• frightful
• ghastly
• grisly
• gruesome
• grewsome
• hideous
• horrendous
• horrible
• horrid
• horrific
• horrifying
• lurid
• macabre
• monstrous
• nightmare
• nightmarish
• shocking
• terrible
• terrific

Examples of atrocious in a Sentence

… much of the manufactured-home industry employed sales practices that were atrocious. The need for meaningful down payments was frequently ignored. Sometimes fakery was involved. Moreover, impossible-to-meet monthly payments were being agreed to by borrowers who signed up because they had nothing to lose. —Warren E. Buffett, Newsweek, 9 Mar. 2009

In the hands of a succession of more or less sadistic colonial governors and prison officers, convicts, particularly repeat offenders, found themselves subjected to atrocious punishments, flogged, committed to chain gangs, kept in underground pits, starved, and bullied. —Caroline Moorehead, New York Review of Books, 16 Nov. 2006

It would seem that by now the Tigers might be weary of analyzing their roller-coaster season, sick of reliving their atrocious 9-23 start and comparing it with their recent hot streak. —Sports Illustrated, 4 Sept. 2000

an atrocious period in the nation's history

an atrocious crime that shocked even hardened members of the police force

Recent Examples on the Web

However, their defense has been atrocious, allowing 28.3 points per game, which is tied with the Cowboys for 30th in the NFL. —Paul Du Quenoy, Newsweek, 9 Dec. 2024

Judges often trim down sentences because of the atrocious conditions at the Sunset Park jail, where two men were fatally stabbed just six weeks apart over the summer. —John Annese, New York Daily News, 7 Nov. 2024

Chile, despite being atrocious for the first nine games of this campaign, still have qualification to fight for. —Joseph O'Sullivan, Forbes, 14 Oct. 2024

But after nearly a decade of quarterback play that has ranged from mediocre to atrocious, fans can be forgiven for failing to apply a governor to their collective optimism. —Nick Kosmider, The Athletic, 18 Aug. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Latin atroc-, atrox gloomy, atrocious, from atr-, ater black + -oc-, -ox (akin to Greek ōps eye) — more at eye

First Known Use

1604, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

atrocious

adjective

atro·​cious ə-ˈtrō-shəs 

1

: savagely wicked, brutal, or cruel

2

: very bad

atrocious weather

atrociously adverb

atrociousness noun

Legal Definition

atrocious

adjective

atro·​cious ə-ˈtrō-shəs 

: characterized by extreme cruelty or viciousness

atrocious assault and battery