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
Since last week’s atrocity, imagery of which was widely shared on social media, the Ukrainian 82nd and 95th Air Assault Brigades, respectively holding positions southeast and southwest of the 155th Naval Infantry Brigade’s own positions in Kursk Oblast, have ambushed Russian marines.
—David Axe, Forbes, 14 Oct. 2024
And while the second Monday in October has historically been celebrated as Columbus Day and is still federally recognized as such, many have pushed for moving away from the holiday to acknowledge the atrocities Columbus committed against people living in the Americas long before his arrival.
—Taylor Wilson, USA TODAY, 14 Oct. 2024
To the outrage of Israelis and many Jews elsewhere, the original version of the letter failed to mention that Hamas’s atrocities had started the war—or to mention Hamas at all.
—Judith Shulevitz, The Atlantic, 5 Oct. 2024
Shot in nine weeks over three countries (Hungary, Croatia, and England), the film captures the raw intensity and complexities of Miller’s journey from fashion model to fearless photojournalist, documenting the atrocities of World War II with an unrelenting gaze.
—Sam Falb, Vogue, 26 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for atrocity 
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
David Axe, Forbes, 14 Oct. 2024
And while the second Monday in October has historically been celebrated as Columbus Day and is still federally recognized as such, many have pushed for moving away from the holiday to acknowledge the atrocities Columbus committed against people living in the Americas long before his arrival.
—Taylor Wilson, USA TODAY, 14 Oct. 2024
To the outrage of Israelis and many Jews elsewhere, the original version of the letter failed to mention that Hamas’s atrocities had started the war—or to mention Hamas at all.
—Judith Shulevitz, The Atlantic, 5 Oct. 2024
Shot in nine weeks over three countries (Hungary, Croatia, and England), the film captures the raw intensity and complexities of Miller’s journey from fashion model to fearless photojournalist, documenting the atrocities of World War II with an unrelenting gaze.
—Sam Falb, Vogue, 26 Sep. 2024
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 Nov. 2024.
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
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share