monstrosity

noun

mon·​stros·​i·​ty män-ˈsträ-sə-tē 

plural monstrosities

1

a

: a malformation of a plant or animal

b

: something deviating from the normal : freak

2

: the quality or state of being monstrous

the monstrosity of the tsunami's devastation

3

a

: an object of great and often frightening size, force, or complexity

this monstrosity, the atomic bomb

b

: an excessively bad or shocking example

The new mall is an architectural monstrosity.

Synonyms

• abnormality
• anomaly
• freak
• monster

Examples of monstrosity in a Sentence

Did you see the new mall? It's a monstrosity.

any monstrosities born to the farm animals were sent to the agricultural college for study

Recent Examples on the Web

Written in a few months in 1998, this memoir—I’ll staple some asterisks to that word later—did not resemble those two monstrosities. —Cheri Lucas Rowlands, Longreads, 16 Dec. 2024

Such monstrosities, we were told, were merely the birth pangs of a new and mostly peaceful nation. —Mark R. Weaver, Newsweek, 4 Dec. 2024

Despite some of her monstrosities, Rose is always hungry and human, a woman at war with her circumstances, her abandonment issues and a desire to carve out a better life for herself and her daughters. —Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 20 Dec. 2024

Valued at $153, this monstrosity of a gift includes brands like Ellis Brooklyn, Roz, Tower 28, and Ceremonia. —Annie Blackman, Allure, 29 Nov. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Kids Definition

monstrosity

noun

mon·​stros·​i·​ty män-ˈsträs-ət-ē 

plural monstrosities

1

: the condition of being monstrous

2

: something monstrous : monster