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

• atrociousness noun
• atrociously adverb

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

"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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"His foursome play is just atrocious and there's really no explanation because you see the guy winning tournament after tournament after tournament," American writer Alex Miceli told BBC Radio 5 Live.

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Though she's lived there most of her life, her Malayalam is atrocious.

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"The last time he played here, the weather was atrocious," she said.

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Related Words

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