Meaning & use
atrocity
An extremely cruel, violent, or shocking act, especially one committed against a large group of people.
See it in a sentence
Historians have spent decades documenting the atrocities committed during the war.
The tribunal was established to prosecute those responsible for the atrocity.
A note on using this word
Atrocity is a serious, formal word typically reserved for large-scale violence, not everyday unpleasantness.
Words with a similar meaning
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Make it your own
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