noun
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behaviour or an action that is wicked or ruthless
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the fact or quality of being atrocious
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(usually plural) acts of extreme cruelty, esp against prisoners or civilians in wartime
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of atrocity
1525–35; < Latin atrōcitās, equivalent to atrōci- (stem of atrōx ) fierce + -tās -ty 2
Explanation
Atrocities, acts of outrageous cruelty, are often committed during wars and armed conflicts. The word atrocity describes both the act of cruelty as well as the sense of cruelty. If you go to visit a poorly run prison, you might be overwhelmed by the atrocity of the place when you see that no one is treated with respect, and torture is rampant. The word atrocity is also often used in the context of warfare and frequently as a plural. There were numerous atrocities on both sides, as the war raged on and the fighters’ capacity for cruelty seemed to increase.
Vocabulary lists containing atrocity
The Things They Carried
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The Hate U Give
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This Week in Words : December 23 - 29, 2017
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
Addressing an urgent debate at the UN Human Rights Council, Turk urged world leaders to take immediate action to prevent atrocity crimes.
From Barron's ● Jul. 3, 2026
"This atrocity was a defining moment for America and your pain and shock were felt around the whole world," said the King.
From BBC ● Apr. 29, 2026
It’s important to debunk this genetic stuff as we now live in a genomic age in which science has been used to justify all sorts of atrocity.
From Salon ● Apr. 23, 2026
There was a kind of macabre joke in living as a reminder of historical atrocity.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 18, 2026
A rampaging atrocity that looked like a cross between a bear and an octopus battered fairies with its thrashing tentacles.
From "Fablehaven" by Brandon Mull
The group said police registered 113 cases under India's law against caste-based atrocities in the area in 2025.
From BBC ● Aug. 24, 2026
Trump officials are also planning to finance at least one organization to research crime and atrocities against minority populations in South Africa.
From Salon ● Jul. 21, 2026
The RSF has acknowledged some violations but insists the scale of the atrocities is being exaggerated.
From BBC ● Jul. 1, 2026
The pamphlet railed against British atrocities, condemned servile loyalism and confidently projected military recovery.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 29, 2026
Sir, did the Irish commit atrocities at the Battle of Kinsale?
From "Angela's Ashes: A Memoir" by Frank McCourt
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
