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:
A group representing relatives of American victims of the atrocity described judge's decision as outcome as "another step in our long fight for justice".
From BBC ● Aug. 7, 2026
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
Afghanistan's Taliban government condemned the "cowardly act" and called it "a crime and atrocity".
From BBC ● Jun. 29, 2026
There was no accountability for that atrocity 20 years ago, at least not for anyone who was in charge.
From Salon ● Jun. 4, 2026
Desdemona was in a pale white nightgown, the bedcovers pulled up to her waist, and in her lap sat one of her Turkish atrocity fans.
From "Middlesex: A Novel" by Jeffrey Eugenides
Established in 2002, the ICC prosecutes individuals accused of the gravest atrocities, including war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide.
From Barron's ● Jul. 13, 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
This was the real-life version of a mindless doomscroll, when all of the world’s atrocities barely register.
From Salon ● Apr. 25, 2026
He announced a nationwide stay-at-home on March 28, a national Day of Mourning and protest for the atrocities at Sharpeville.
From "Long Walk to Freedom" by Nelson Mandela
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.
