atrocious
adjective
atro·cious ə-ˈtrō-shəs 
1
: extremely wicked, brutal, or cruel : barbaric
prisoners subjected to atrocious treatment
2
: appalling, horrifying
the atrocious weapons of modern war
an atrocious accident
3
a
: utterly revolting : abominable
atrocious working conditions
atrocious weather
b
: of very poor quality
atrocious handwriting
atrociously adverb
atrociousness noun
Synonyms
- appalling
- awful
- dreadful
- frightful
- ghastly
- grisly
- gruesome
- grewsome
- hideous
- horrendous
- horrible
- horrid
- horrific
- horrifying
- lurid
- macabre
- monstrous
- nightmare
- nightmarish
- shocking
- terrible
- terrific
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
… much of the manufactured-home industry employed sales practices that were atrocious. The need for meaningful down payments was frequently ignored. Sometimes fakery was involved. Moreover, impossible-to-meet monthly payments were being agreed to by borrowers who signed up because they had nothing to lose. 
Warren E. Buffett, Newsweek, 9 Mar. 2009 In the hands of a succession of more or less sadistic colonial governors and prison officers, convicts, particularly repeat offenders, found themselves subjected to atrocious punishments, flogged, committed to chain gangs, kept in underground pits, starved, and bullied. Caroline Moorehead, New York Review of Books, 16 Nov. 2006 It would seem that by now the Tigers might be weary of analyzing their roller-coaster season, sick of reliving their atrocious 9-23 start and comparing it with their recent hot streak. Sports Illustrated, 4 Sept. 2000 an atrocious period in the nation's history an atrocious crime that shocked even hardened members of the police force
Warren E. Buffett, Newsweek, 9 Mar. 2009 In the hands of a succession of more or less sadistic colonial governors and prison officers, convicts, particularly repeat offenders, found themselves subjected to atrocious punishments, flogged, committed to chain gangs, kept in underground pits, starved, and bullied. Caroline Moorehead, New York Review of Books, 16 Nov. 2006 It would seem that by now the Tigers might be weary of analyzing their roller-coaster season, sick of reliving their atrocious 9-23 start and comparing it with their recent hot streak. Sports Illustrated, 4 Sept. 2000 an atrocious period in the nation's history an atrocious crime that shocked even hardened members of the police force Recent Examples on the Web The Celtics couldn’t have asked for a better end to the half after an otherwise atrocious 20 or so minutes of basketball. Nicole Yang, BostonGlobe.com, 21 May 2022 Perhaps someone with an atrocious opinion in one case may have something valuable to share in another. Michael Polk, Rolling Stone, 11 May 2022 Wisely, instead of some atrocious add-on backup camera from Amazon, the seller replaced the driver's-side door strut. Clifford Atiyeh, Car and Driver, 19 Apr. 2022 Miami really turned on the heat right in its very first game of this postseason, shooting 52.4 percent from the field, while holding Atlanta to an atrocious 38.7 percent shooting. Jeremy Cluff, The Arizona Republic, 18 Apr. 2022 The gap between the annual income of Black families versus non-Black families is atrocious. Scarlett Newman, Harper's BAZAAR, 13 June 2022 However, paying nearly $80 million for four acres of land is atrocious. Phillip Molnar, San Diego Union-Tribune, 27 May 2022 The Dallas Cowboys will always be a thing—whether good, not good, mediocre, atrocious, brilliant, exasperating, or ordinary. Jason Gay, WSJ, 18 Oct. 2021 The Kings’ special teams have been atrocious, for example, with seven of Edmonton’s 21 goals in the series coming on power plays. Kevin Baxter, Los Angeles Times, 11 May 2022 See More
Nicole Yang, BostonGlobe.com, 21 May 2022 Perhaps someone with an atrocious opinion in one case may have something valuable to share in another. Michael Polk, Rolling Stone, 11 May 2022 Wisely, instead of some atrocious add-on backup camera from Amazon, the seller replaced the driver's-side door strut. Clifford Atiyeh, Car and Driver, 19 Apr. 2022 Miami really turned on the heat right in its very first game of this postseason, shooting 52.4 percent from the field, while holding Atlanta to an atrocious 38.7 percent shooting. Jeremy Cluff, The Arizona Republic, 18 Apr. 2022 The gap between the annual income of Black families versus non-Black families is atrocious. Scarlett Newman, Harper's BAZAAR, 13 June 2022 However, paying nearly $80 million for four acres of land is atrocious. Phillip Molnar, San Diego Union-Tribune, 27 May 2022 The Dallas Cowboys will always be a thing—whether good, not good, mediocre, atrocious, brilliant, exasperating, or ordinary. Jason Gay, WSJ, 18 Oct. 2021 The Kings’ special teams have been atrocious, for example, with seven of Edmonton’s 21 goals in the series coming on power plays. Kevin Baxter, Los Angeles Times, 11 May 2022 See More Word History
Etymology
Latin atroc-, atrox gloomy, atrocious, from atr-, ater black + -oc-, -ox (akin to Greek ōps eye) — more at eye
First Known Use
1604, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Kids Definition
atrocious
adjective
atro·cious ə-ˈtrō-shəs
1
: extremely brutal, cruel, or wicked
an atrocious crime
2
: very bad
atrocious weather
atrocious manners
Legal Definition
atrocious
adjective
atro·cious ə-ˈtrō-shəs
: characterized by extreme cruelty or viciousness
atrocious assault and battery
atrocious
adjective
1
as in horrific
extremely disturbing or repellent an atrocious crime that shocked even hardened members of the police force Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- horrific
- gruesome
- horrible
- terrible
- shocking
- awful
- nightmare
- dreadful
- appalling
- horrifying
- hideous
- terrific
- frightening
- horrid
- horrendous
- terrifying
- ghastly
- sickening
- nightmarish
- grisly
- disgusting
- scary
- frightful
- monstrous
- macabre
- lurid
- alarming
- ugly
- deplorable
- abominable
- revolting
- loathsome
- intimidating
- heinous
- abhorrent
- obscene
- offensive
- dire
- repulsive
- grotesque
- fearful
- formidable
- repugnant
- grewsome
- odious
- obnoxious
- forbidding
- unspeakable
- disagreeable
- nauseating
- vile
- distasteful
- evil
- direful
- fearsome
- gut-wrenching
- redoubtable
- noxious
- bloodcurdling
- noisome
- hair-raising
- unsightly
- heart-stopping
- foul
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- delightful
- pleasant
- delicious
- attractive
- enjoyable
- agreeable
- appealing
- satisfying
- pleasurable
- delectable
- welcome
- pleasing
- enticing
- inviting
- comforting
- soothing
- cheering
2
as in horrible
extremely unsatisfactory the picture quality on the pirated DVD was atrocious Synonyms & Similar Words
- horrible
- terrible
- awful
- poor
- wretched
- execrable
- dismal
- bad
- rotten
- lousy
- defective
- sucky
- inadequate
- flawed
- insufficient
- shameful
- punk
- lacking
- substandard
- miserable
- deficient
- contemptible
- mediocre
- worthless
- abominable
- inferior
- useless
- reprehensible
- off
- faulty
- odious
- wanting
- damnable
- vile
- valueless
- bum
- fiendish
- low-grade
- second-rate
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- great
- excellent
- wonderful
- marvellous
- marvelous
- exceptional
- superior
- adequate
- acceptable
- choice
- prime
- sufficient
- bitchin'
- premium
- satisfactory
- first-rate
- first-class
3
as in brutal
having or showing the desire to inflict severe pain and suffering on others the atrocious treatment of prisoners at the camps Synonyms & Similar Words
- brutal
- cruel
- vicious
- savage
- ruthless
- inhuman
- barbarous
- inhumane
- murderous
- barbaric
- merciless
- sadistic
- ferocious
- heartless
- oppressive
- brute
- fiendish
- harsh
- truculent
- hateful
- wanton
- butcherly
- pitiless
- malicious
- fell
- grim
- sanguinary
- bloodthirsty
- red in tooth and claw
- spiteful
- unfeeling
- draconian
- vindictive
- malevolent
- malignant
- cutthroat
- nasty
- ironhearted
- malign
- hard-hearted
- stonyhearted
- mean
- sanguine
- heavy-handed
- despiteful
- catty
- draconic
- hardhanded
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- sympathetic
- kind
- benign
- humane
- compassionate
- benignant
- warm
- kindhearted
- lenient
- merciful
- charitable
- pitying
- tenderhearted
- warmhearted
- good-hearted
- tender
- clement
- peaceful
- peaceable
- pacific
- Ophioglossales
- ophioglossaleses
- ophioglossalesses
- Ophioglossum
- ophioglossums
- ophiolaters
- ophiolatries
- ophiolatry
- ophiolatryes
- ophiolatrys
- ophiolite
- ophiolites
- ophiolitic
- ophiological
- ophiologies
- ophiologists
- ophiology
- Ophiomorpha
- ophiomorphic
- ophiomorphs
- ophion
- ophionine
- ophiophagi
- ophiophagous
- ophiophaguses