atrocity
n. countablen. an extremely cruel, violent, or shocking act. You usually use this word to describe terrible things that happen during a war or a crime.
n. an extremely wicked or cruel act, typically one involving physical violence or injury. Often used in the plural to describe systematic human rights violations during conflict.
The soldiers were accused of committing a terrible atrocity.
International observers arrived at the border to document every atrocity committed during the three-month occupation.
The museum serves as a somber memorial to the victims of the atrocity, ensuring that future generations understand the human cost of such unchecked hatred.
From Middle French atrocité, from Latin atrōcitātem, from atrox (“terrible, cruel”) + -tās, from āter (“matte black”).
Frequently used with the verb 'commit' or 'perpetrate'.