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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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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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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Recent Examples of atrocity
The first part of No Road Leading Back documents the atrocities that took place in Lithuania’s Ponar forest between 1941 and 1944.
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Meilan Solly, Smithsonian Magazine, 27 Nov. 2024
And so Columbus has lost stature, tied not only to his own atrocities but more broadly (if indirectly) to the violent mistreatment of minorities by law enforcement in more recent years.
—Baltimore Sun Editorial Board, Baltimore Sun, 11 Nov. 2024
To date, the Jews have still not recovered from that atrocity.
—Lana Melman, Sun Sentinel, 8 Nov. 2024
Many of the women are from the city of Bucha, a suburb of Kyiv, where some of the worst atrocities took place in the early days of the war, including the execution of civilians in the street.
—Elizabeth Both, NBC News, 28 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for atrocity 
Meilan Solly, Smithsonian Magazine, 27 Nov. 2024
And so Columbus has lost stature, tied not only to his own atrocities but more broadly (if indirectly) to the violent mistreatment of minorities by law enforcement in more recent years.
—Baltimore Sun Editorial Board, Baltimore Sun, 11 Nov. 2024
To date, the Jews have still not recovered from that atrocity.
—Lana Melman, Sun Sentinel, 8 Nov. 2024
Many of the women are from the city of Bucha, a suburb of Kyiv, where some of the worst atrocities took place in the early days of the war, including the execution of civilians in the street.
—Elizabeth Both, NBC News, 28 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for atrocity
Recent Examples of Synonyms for atrocity
Noun
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That definitely still draws certain Academy members toward watching the film, but even the tamest of horror films have historically been shut out of any Oscar nominations.Marcus Jones, IndieWire, 12 Dec. 2024
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Several fans of the original felt the satirical horror film should not be remade at all.Gordon G. Chang, Newsweek, 12 Dec. 2024
Noun
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By separating the cruelty from the constructive, a company can turn criticism into a catalyst for meaningful growth.Molly McPherson, Forbes, 8 Dec. 2024
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The cruelties of the US medical system and the ongoing blame game between the private industries that profit from it have left patients angry and confused — and looking for someone, anyone, to blame, fairly or not.Dylan Scott, Vox, 6 Dec. 2024
Noun
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Syrians are still digesting the systemic brutality of the regime, now that prisons and torture chambers – chief among them Sednaya – have been opened.Scott Peterson, The Christian Science Monitor, 13 Dec. 2024
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The killing of the CEO captivated the nation, both for the brutality of the crime and for the anger and frustration many people expressed about the health care insurance system.Stephan Pechdimaldji, Newsweek, 13 Dec. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near atrocity
Cite this Entry
“Atrocity.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/atrocity. Accessed 24 Dec. 2024.
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