atrocious

[uh-troh-shuhs]

adjective

1. extremely or shockingly wicked, cruel, or brutal.

   an atrocious crime.

   Synonyms: devilish, diabolic, monstrous, heinous, felonious

2. shockingly bad or tasteless; dreadful; abominable.

   an atrocious painting; atrocious manners.

   Synonyms: detestable, execrable

atrocious

/ əˈtrəʊʃəs /

adjective

1. extremely cruel or wicked; ruthless

   atrocious deeds

2. horrifying or shocking

   an atrocious road accident

3. informal,  very bad; detestable

   atrocious writing

Other Word Forms

• atrociously adverb
• atrociousness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of atrocious¹

First recorded in 1660–70; atroci(ty) + -ous

Word History and Origins

Origin of atrocious¹

C17: from Latin ātrōx dreadful, from āter black

Example Sentences

Uthmeier said his office had “secured and executed subpoenas and warrants” and called the brothers’ behavior “atrocious.”

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It instantly divided opinion: "Genuinely atrocious" was one of the kinder comments.

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The loans made in 2006 were indeed worse than those made in 2005, but the loans made in 2005 remained atrocious, and closer to the dates when their interest rates would reset.

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"I had quite a shock the other day coming in from west Wales way - the congestion was atrocious," she said.

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The former Prime Minister Boris Johnson wrote in a newspaper column, after leaving office, that the original Dangerous Dogs Act had been "rushed through Parliament and has gone down as a model of atrocious legislation".

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Related Words

• appalling 
• awful 
• dreadful 
• horrible 
• horrid 
• horrifying 
• rotten 
• terrible