Atrocious
/əˈtroʊʃəs/
adjectiveC1
Definition
Atrocious describes something extremely bad or unpleasant. It can refer to actions, behavior, conditions, or quality that are shocking or unacceptable. People use it when they want to show strong dislike or disapproval.
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⚡ See It in Action
Very bad or unpleasant quality
- •The food at the restaurant was atrocious and made me sick.
- •His handwriting is atrocious; I can hardly read it.
- •The movie received atrocious reviews from critics.
Shockingly cruel or terrible behavior or conditions
- •The treatment of prisoners was described as atrocious and inhumane.
- •The accident scene was atrocious, with severe damage everywhere.
🧲 Make It Stick
- ✓Think of "atrocious" like "bad," but MUCH stronger and more serious—like very, very bad
- ✓Picture a messy room with broken things everywhere and a bad smell—this is an atrocious room
- ✓It's the feeling when you taste food that is spoiled or when you hear very loud, unpleasant noise
- ✓Sounds like "a-TRO-shus" → imagine a "troll" shouting "ouch!" because something is so painful or terrible
- ✓Think of stories or movies where villains do very cruel or horrible things—that's atrocious behavior
- ✓NOT like "bad" (can be small problems), "atrocious" means very serious or shocking badness
- ✓NOT like "poor" (just low quality), "atrocious" often feels shocking or very unpleasant
- ✓NOT like "terrible" (which is close), but "atrocious" often has a stronger feeling of disgust or horror
🔄 Try Other Words
- •Horrible: very bad or unpleasant (Use when you want to express strong dislike but less formal)
- •Dreadful: extremely bad or unpleasant (Use when describing something that causes fear or worry)
- •Awful: very bad or unpleasant (Use in everyday speech for strong negative feelings)
- •Appalling: shocking and very bad (Use when emphasizing shock or horror)
🔍 Unboxing
- •Prefix "atro-" comes from Latin "atrox," meaning cruel or fierce
- •Root relates to something very harsh or severe in nature
- •First used in English in the 1500s to describe cruel or terrible actions or things
- •Now used to describe anything shockingly bad, from quality to behavior
- •Often used in formal or strong emotional contexts to show strong disapproval
💭 Reflect & Connect
•Can something be so bad that calling it "atrocious" is too strong? How do you decide when to use it?
•How does the word "atrocious" help us express feelings about very bad experiences differently from simple words like "bad" or "poor"?
Fill in the blanks with the correct word:
1.The weather was ___ last night, with heavy rain and strong winds causing damage.
2.He gave an ___ performance in the play, forgetting all his lines and looking confused.
3.People described the living conditions in the old building as ___ because they were unsafe and dirty.
4.When the teacher saw the student’s homework, she said it was ___ and needed to be redone.
5.The movie’s special effects were ___ compared to modern films, making it hard to watch.
6.The ___ behavior of the villain made the audience feel angry and upset.
7.After tasting the soup, she said it was ___ and refused to eat more.