Egregious
/ɪˈɡriːdʒəs/
adjectiveC1
Definition
Egregious describes a mistake, behavior, or problem that is extremely bad and easily noticed by others. It is used when something is wrong in a way that is very clear and serious, not small or hidden.
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See It in Action
Very bad or shocking mistake or behavior
- •The company made an egregious error in its financial report.
- •His egregious disregard for the rules caused serious problems.
- •The judge criticized the lawyer for egregious misconduct.
Something obviously wrong or offensive
- •The film was full of egregious historical inaccuracies.
- •She made an egregious error by forgetting the meeting entirely.
Make It Stick
- ✓Think of "egregious" like "bad" (A1 word), but MUCH stronger and more serious—like a big problem everyone can see
- ✓Picture a bright red stop sign in the middle of a quiet street—something that stands out clearly and cannot be ignored
- ✓It's the feeling when someone makes a huge mistake that causes trouble for many people and is hard to forget
- ✓Sounds like "ee-GREE-jus" → imagine a loud, angry crowd shouting "Gee, that's bad!" at a big error
- ✓Think of a story where a character does something very wrong and everyone notices immediately, like cheating in a game
- ✓NOT like "small mistake" (tiny and easy to fix), "egregious" means the mistake is very big and serious
- ✓NOT like "hidden problem" (secret or quiet), "egregious" is obvious and easy to see
- ✓NOT like "normal bad" (regular bad things), "egregious" is shocking and stands out strongly
Try Other Words
- •Outrageous: very shocking or unacceptable (Use when the bad action causes strong surprise or anger)
- •Shocking: causing surprise and upset (Use when emphasizing the emotional reaction)
- •Blatant: very obvious and done without shame (Use when something wrong is clearly visible and intentional)
- •Gross: very bad or extreme (Use in informal contexts for strong negative situations)
Unboxing
- •Word parts: (no clear prefix or suffix; from Latin root)
- •Etymology: From Latin "egregius" meaning "standing out from the flock," originally meaning excellent or distinguished
- •Historical development: Originally a positive word meaning outstanding in a good way, but over time it changed to mean outstanding in a bad way (very bad or shocking)
- •Modern usage: Used today to describe very bad, obvious, or shocking mistakes or behaviors in formal speech or writing
Reflect & Connect
•Can something be egregious in one culture but not in another? How do we decide what is "very bad"?
•Why do you think a word that once meant "excellent" now means "very bad"? How does language change like that?
Fill in the blanks
1.The manager was fired because of an egregious ___ in handling the company's funds.
2.When someone acts with egregious ___, it often leads to serious consequences.
3.Unlike small errors, egregious mistakes are ___ and hard to ignore.
4.The politician's egregious ___ caused public outrage and protests.
5.People often describe egregious problems as ___ obvious and unacceptable.
6.The report highlighted egregious ___ of safety rules that put workers at risk.
7.An egregious error usually requires ___ immediate attention and correction.