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
His incendiary rhymes, which boldly call out the atrocities carried out by the country’s dictatorial regime, have resulted in multiple arrests and extended stretches in prison over the last five years, for a sum total of 753 days.
—Spin Staff, SPIN, 9 Jan. 2025
Indeed, in recent years, this designation was made in the cases of the Daesh atrocities against Yazidis, Christians and other religious minorities, the atrocities against Uyghurs in Xinjiang, China, and the atrocities against the Rohingya in Myanmar.
—Dr. Ewelina U. Ochab, Forbes, 8 Jan. 2025
In 1944, a Nazi convoy rolled into the village of Oradour-sur-Glane and rounded up and massacred 642 residents in the worst atrocity of the war in France.
—Robert D. McFadden, New York Times, 7 Jan. 2025
Beijing’s diplomats have vociferously supported the Palestinians throughout the Gaza conflict and carefully avoided criticism of Hamas and its October 7 atrocities against Israeli civilians, in sharp contrast to Washington’s backing of Israel, which is widely unpopular around the world.
—Michael Schuman, The Atlantic, 6 Jan. 2025
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Spin Staff, SPIN, 9 Jan. 2025
Indeed, in recent years, this designation was made in the cases of the Daesh atrocities against Yazidis, Christians and other religious minorities, the atrocities against Uyghurs in Xinjiang, China, and the atrocities against the Rohingya in Myanmar.
—Dr. Ewelina U. Ochab, Forbes, 8 Jan. 2025
In 1944, a Nazi convoy rolled into the village of Oradour-sur-Glane and rounded up and massacred 642 residents in the worst atrocity of the war in France.
—Robert D. McFadden, New York Times, 7 Jan. 2025
Beijing’s diplomats have vociferously supported the Palestinians throughout the Gaza conflict and carefully avoided criticism of Hamas and its October 7 atrocities against Israeli civilians, in sharp contrast to Washington’s backing of Israel, which is widely unpopular around the world.
—Michael Schuman, The Atlantic, 6 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 21 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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