Atrocity — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

Atrocity (noun) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

1. the quality of inspiring intense dread or dismay

   "the undeniable atrocity of the forced march of Cherokees known as the Trail of Tears"

   similar: atrociousness, awfulness, dreadfulness, frightfulness, ghastliness, grisliness, gruesomeness, hideousness, horridness, horror, monstrosity, repulsiveness
   related: badness, baseness, depravedness, depravity, diabolicalness, evil, evilness, foulness, heinousness, immorality, iniquitousness, iniquity, invidiousness, sinfulness, ungodliness, viciousness, vileness, wickedness, accursedness, cursedness, deplorableness, despicableness, detestableness, execrableness, hatefulness, loathsomeness, reprehensibleness, creepiness, eeriness, fearfulness, fearsomeness, ghostliness, ghoulishness, scariness, agony, anguish, hellishness, misery, torment, torture
   near: agreeableness, delightfulness, pleasantness, pleasurableness, allurement, appeal, attraction, attractiveness, desirability, desirableness

2. the state or quality of being utterly evil

   "was appalled by the atrocity of Stalin's mass executions"

   similar: atrociousness, badness, depravedness, depravity, diabolicalness, enormity, evilness, heinousness, hideousness, monstrosity, sinfulness, vileness, wickedness
   related: accursedness, baseness, cursedness, devilishness, execrableness, fiendishness, hellishness, corruption, decadence, degeneracy, pervertedness, immorality, infamy, notoriety
   opposite: goodness, righteousness, virtuousness
   near: morality, chasteness, innocence, purity

3. disposition to willfully inflict pain and suffering on others

   "wars often unleash a level of atrocity that would be unimaginable in peacetime"

   similar: atrociousness, barbarity, barbarousness, brutality, cruelness, cruelty, fiendishness, heartlessness, inhumanity, inhumanness, sadism, savageness, savagery, truculence, viciousness, wantonness
   related: hard-heartedness, mercilessness, pitilessness, ruthlessness, unfeelingness, fellness, ferociousness, ferocity, fierceness, grimness, bloodlust, bloodthirstiness, murderousness, sanguineness, sanguinity, cattiness, despitefulness, hatefulness, malevolence, maliciousness, malignity, meanness, nastiness, spitefulness, hardhandedness, harshness, heavy-handedness, oppressiveness
   opposite: benignity, compassion, good-heartedness, humaneness, humanity, kindheartedness, kindness, sympathy, tenderheartedness
   near: tenderness, warmheartedness, warmness, warmth, charitableness, clemency, leniency, mercifulness, mercy, pity