enormity

noun

enor·mi·ty i-ˈnȯr-mə-tē How to pronounce enormity (audio)

plural enormities

: an outrageous, improper, vicious, or immoral act

the enormities of state power

Susan Sontag

other enormities too juvenile to mention

Richard Freedman

: the quality or state of being immoderate, monstrous, or outrageous

especially : great wickedness

the enormity of the crimes committed during the Third Reich

G. A. Craig

: the quality or state of being huge : immensity

the inconceivable enormity of the universe

: a quality of momentous importance or impact

the enormity of the decision

Did you know?

Although enormity has been used since the late 1700s to denote large size, this usage continues to be disparaged by various language commentators who argue that enormity should be reserved for senses related to "great wickedness." It is enormousness, they insist (a hefty and considerably less common word), that should be used in reference to great size, despite the fact that, like enormity, it too originally was used to denote wickedness or divergence from accepted moral standards. For better or worse, this proscription has been widely ignored by many English speakers, including professional writers. However one chooses to use them, enormity and enormous can both be traced back to the Latin enormis, from the prefix e- ("out of") and norma ("rule," "pattern," or "carpenter's square").

Example Sentences

We were shocked at the enormity of the crime. They didn't fully grasp the enormity of their decision.

Recent Examples on the Web Often, these efforts feel drowned out by the platform’s sheer enormity.

Mark Bergen, The Atlantic, 5 Sep. 2022 Understanding the data and the enormity of dissatisfaction with work is an important step toward creating a better future of work.

Tracy Brower, Forbes, 24 July 2022 Multiply this challenge by thousands of rare conditions, some of which may affect only a handful of people worldwide, and the enormity and complexity of the challenges become clear.

Craig Martin, STAT, 23 July 2022 There is still time and opportunity, however, to protect and encourage future innovation in rare disease at the scale necessary to address the enormity of the challenge.

Craig Martin, STAT, 23 July 2022 The question is whether this is enough to tackle the enormity of the city’s housing crisis.

Eric Lach, The New Yorker, 23 June 2022 When the hearing concluded, and analysts on the other networks absorbed the enormity of what was presented, the pro-Trump media narrative was already baked.

Brian Stelter, CNN, 10 June 2022 Everybody will process the enormity of the death count differently based on their personal experiences and beliefs.

Jorge L. Ortiz, USA TODAY, 17 May 2022 In a 2003 Globe interview, Dr. Farmer discussed the enormity of the organization’s undertaking.

Globe Staff, BostonGlobe.com, 21 Feb. 2022 See More

enormity

noun

as in sinfulness

the state or quality of being utterly evil the enormity of the crimes committed by the Nazis

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

sinfulness
badness
atrocity
heinousness
evilness
vileness
hideousness
corruption
atrociousness
wickedness
depravity
notoriety
baseness
depravedness
fiendishness
diabolicalness
monstrosity
hellishness
immorality
decadence
devilishness
degeneracy
infamy
execrableness
accursedness
cursedness
pervertedness

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

goodness
morality
purity
righteousness
innocence
virtuousness
chasteness

as in magnitude

the quality or state of being very large the enormity of the canyon can only be grasped by taking a trip through its entire length

Synonyms & Similar Words

magnitude
immensity
vastness
hugeness
enormousness
immenseness
massiveness
extensiveness
prodigiousness
bigness
gigantism
giantism
largeness
awesomeness
vastitude
greatness
grandness
boundlessness
limitlessness
voluminousness
weightiness
tremendousness
excessiveness
stupendousness
spaciousness
extremeness
grandiosity
capaciousness
gaudiness
extravagance
sizableness
commodiousness
ampleness
immoderacy

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

minuteness
smallness
littleness
tininess
triviality
puniness
diminutiveness

单词	enormity
释义	enormity noun enor·mi·ty i-ˈnȯr-mə-tē plural enormities 1 : an outrageous, improper, vicious, or immoral act the enormities of state power Susan Sontag other enormities too juvenile to mention Richard Freedman 2 : the quality or state of being immoderate, monstrous, or outrageous especially : great wickedness the enormity of the crimes committed during the Third Reich G. A. Craig 3 : the quality or state of being huge : immensity the inconceivable enormity of the universe 4 : a quality of momentous importance or impact the enormity of the decision Did you know? Although enormity has been used since the late 1700s to denote large size, this usage continues to be disparaged by various language commentators who argue that enormity should be reserved for senses related to "great wickedness." It is enormousness, they insist (a hefty and considerably less common word), that should be used in reference to great size, despite the fact that, like enormity, it too originally was used to denote wickedness or divergence from accepted moral standards. For better or worse, this proscription has been widely ignored by many English speakers, including professional writers. However one chooses to use them, enormity and enormous can both be traced back to the Latin enormis, from the prefix e- ("out of") and norma ("rule," "pattern," or "carpenter's square"). Synonyms atrociousness atrocity badness depravedness depravity diabolicalness evilness heinousness hideousness monstrosity sinfulness vileness wickedness See all Synonyms & Antonyms Example Sentences We were shocked at the enormity of the crime. They didn't fully grasp the enormity of their decision. Recent Examples on the Web Often, these efforts feel drowned out by the platform’s sheer enormity. Mark Bergen, The Atlantic, 5 Sep. 2022 Understanding the data and the enormity of dissatisfaction with work is an important step toward creating a better future of work. Tracy Brower, Forbes, 24 July 2022 Multiply this challenge by thousands of rare conditions, some of which may affect only a handful of people worldwide, and the enormity and complexity of the challenges become clear. Craig Martin, STAT, 23 July 2022 There is still time and opportunity, however, to protect and encourage future innovation in rare disease at the scale necessary to address the enormity of the challenge. Craig Martin, STAT, 23 July 2022 The question is whether this is enough to tackle the enormity of the city’s housing crisis. Eric Lach, The New Yorker, 23 June 2022 When the hearing concluded, and analysts on the other networks absorbed the enormity of what was presented, the pro-Trump media narrative was already baked. Brian Stelter, CNN, 10 June 2022 Everybody will process the enormity of the death count differently based on their personal experiences and beliefs. Jorge L. Ortiz, USA TODAY, 17 May 2022 In a 2003 Globe interview, Dr. Farmer discussed the enormity of the organization’s undertaking. Globe Staff, BostonGlobe.com, 21 Feb. 2022 See More Word History First Known Use 15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1 enormity noun 1 as in sinfulness the state or quality of being utterly evil the enormity of the crimes committed by the Nazis Synonyms & Similar Words Relevance sinfulness badness atrocity heinousness evilness vileness hideousness corruption atrociousness wickedness depravity notoriety baseness depravedness fiendishness diabolicalness monstrosity hellishness immorality decadence devilishness degeneracy infamy execrableness accursedness cursedness pervertedness Antonyms & Near Antonyms goodness morality purity righteousness innocence virtuousness chasteness See More 2 as in magnitude the quality or state of being very large the enormity of the canyon can only be grasped by taking a trip through its entire length Synonyms & Similar Words magnitude immensity vastness hugeness enormousness immenseness massiveness extensiveness prodigiousness bigness gigantism giantism largeness awesomeness vastitude greatness grandness boundlessness limitlessness voluminousness weightiness tremendousness excessiveness stupendousness spaciousness extremeness grandiosity capaciousness gaudiness extravagance sizableness commodiousness ampleness immoderacy Antonyms & Near Antonyms minuteness smallness littleness tininess triviality puniness diminutiveness See More
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enormity

noun

Did you know?

Synonyms

Example Sentences

Word History

noun