atrociousness

noun

Definition of atrociousnessnext
1
as in dreadfulness
the quality of inspiring intense dread or dismay George Orwell's novel 1984 captures the atrociousness of tyranny

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in badness
the state or quality of being utterly evil the unspeakable atrociousness of the mass genocide that was perpetrated in that African nation

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3
as in cruelty
disposition to willfully inflict pain and suffering on others for sheer atrociousness the murders committed by Jack the Ripper occupy a special place in the annals of crime

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Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for atrociousness
  1. horror
  2. badness
  3. cruelty
  4. atrocity
  5. sinfulness
  6. brutality
  7. awfulness
  8. evilness
Noun
  • The film fuses horror and crime with Hong Kong spiritual folklore, and is aimed at fans of midnight movies and cult cinema.
    — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 8 Oct. 2026
  • There will be relief in France at the interior minister’s decision to ban one type of police grenade, as the injuries suffered by some teenage protesters has sparked widespread horror.
    — Joseph Ataman, CNN Money, 7 Oct. 2026
Definition of horror
Noun
  • Leaping around in time, Gilroy draws us into Alex’s world with an effervescent wink at the badness of his behavior.
    — Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 3 Oct. 2026
  • On one side, a satanic figure named Randall Flagg who gathers his forces of badness to Las Vegas; on the other, the good guys, led by 108-year-old Mother Abigail in, of all places, Boulder.
    — Barbara Ellis, Denver Post, 15 Jan. 2026
Definition of badness
Noun
  • Ted Gualtier, owner of Happy Tail Happy Dog, LLC, has been charged by Denver authorities with one count of cruelty to animals.
    — Brian Maass, CBS News, 7 Oct. 2026
  • Many abolitionists and Quakers – who fought to ban slavery – initially supported the colonization society’s removal efforts as a means for helping Black residents escape the cruelty of American laws, especially the Fugitive Slave Acts.
    — Karen Masterson, The Conversation, 5 Oct. 2026
Definition of cruelty
Noun
  • Many of the Russian journalists working in Ukraine at the start of the war, where atrocities wage on, now have criminal cases against them.
    — Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 7 Oct. 2026
  • To Lose Their Citizenship Abraham noted during a Q&A at NYFF that much of the film overlaps with previous reporting and that atrocities in Gaza have been documented for years.
    — Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of atrocity
Noun
  • But soon after, in Genesis 18, God tells Abraham of plans to investigate reports of sinfulness in Sodom and Gomorrah.
    — Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 2 July 2026
  • Denver author Josiah Hesse was raised by Evangelical parents in churches that believe in the torments of hell, that their poverty is due to their sinfulness and lack of faith.
    — Sandra Dallas, Denver Post, 1 Feb. 2026
Definition of sinfulness
Noun
  • The case got widespread attention because of the brutality of the killing, the ages of the people involved and because a satanic symbol was carved into the victim’s body.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 28 Sep. 2026
  • That reporting revealed that the state frequently seizes money from legal settlements stemming from medical malpractice, police brutality, workplace injury and other wrongful death lawsuits.
    — Ginny Monk, Hartford Courant, 28 Sep. 2026
Definition of brutality
Noun
  • In a world so full of dread and awfulness, why not take a moment to read anonymous petty literary gossip on the internet?
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 23 Apr. 2026
  • The relative excitement around the Rockies having arrived in San Diego at 6-6 is a reaction based on their relative awfulness.
    — Kevin Acee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 10 Apr. 2026
Definition of awfulness
Noun
  • That was really what helped me into the character and into her evilness.
    — William Earl, Variety, 4 Oct. 2025
Definition of evilness
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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atrociously
atrociousness
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Cite this Entry

“Atrociousness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/atrociousness. Accessed 10 Oct. 2026.

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