atrociously

adverb

Definition of atrociouslynext
as in horribly

Related Words

Relevance

Dissimilar Words

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of atrociously That pattern stayed broadly consistent last season, when Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur’s goalkeepers performed badly, but not atrociously. — Michael Cox, New York Times, 21 Aug. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for atrociously
  1. horribly
  2. terribly
  3. awfully
  4. dreadfully
  5. poorly
  6. abysmally
  7. horrendously
  8. disastrously
Adverb
  • Rather than heroic, these costly and horribly uncertain stunts come across callous and cruel.
    — Richard Lawson, HollywoodReporter, 3 Sep. 2026
  • When their plan goes horribly awry, the couple is parted once again.
    — Tanya Fedak, Variety, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of horribly
Adverb
  • You’re born in a place where women are treated terribly, or journalists are imprisoned, and those people need some luck.
    — Lily Ford, HollywoodReporter, 3 Sep. 2026
  • But things went terribly wrong while giving birth to her daughter.
    — Michael Collins, USA Today, 30 Aug. 2026
Definition of terribly
Adverb
  • At that point, Biden’s talk of mandatory retirement for aging officeholders hit awfully close to home.
    — Daniel Immerwahr, New Yorker, 31 Aug. 2026
  • Of course, the Mets would look awfully silly if Soto experiences another calf issue.
    — Will Sammon, New York Times, 30 Aug. 2026
Definition of awfully
Adverb
  • Although Yamaha has been dreadfully slow about bringing its motorcycles to India, the R2 made its global debut there this week.
    — Yamaha, New Atlas, 3 Sep. 2026
  • Made from 100 percent cotton, this lightweight number is extremely soft and a great option for dreadfully hot days.
    — Caroline Hughes, Travel + Leisure, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of dreadfully
Adverb
  • The children did not attend school, were fed poorly and did not receive medical attention even if injured or sick, according to the report.
    — Jeanine Santucci, USA Today, 2 Sep. 2026
  • The treadmill feeling does not necessarily mean a company is using AI poorly.
    — Mark Lewis, Forbes.com, 2 Sep. 2026
Definition of poorly
Adverb
  • In practice, this meant that the state set abysmally low standards for what students should learn to advance and graduate.
    — Rachel Canter, The Atlantic, 9 Apr. 2026
  • Reports on abysmally low rates of recycling for milk cartons and polystyrene had been widely shared even before that.
    — Susanne Rust Follow, Los Angeles Times, 18 Mar. 2026
Definition of abysmally
Adverb
  • The less said about Bryan’s horrendously gauche fuchsia-and-gold dress with puffy armholes and halter neck the better.
    — Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 31 July 2026
  • Too little regulation could allow the unleashing of devilish AI that might wipe us out or at least be horrendously destructive.
    — Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 7 July 2026
Definition of horrendously
Adverb
  • However, enforcement – both statewide and nationally – is disastrously underresourced.
    — David Michaels, The Conversation, 18 June 2026
  • His high point will be long forgotten, disastrously undone by his successor to plunge the world into recession, if not depression.
    — Chicago Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 14 June 2026
Definition of disastrously

Browse Nearby Words

atrocious
atrociously
atrociousness
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Atrociously.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/atrociously. Accessed 6 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

A List of Most Commonly Confused Words

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

Stay Woke

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Words of the Week - Sept. 4
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

The Longest Long Words List

Stay Woke
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
anagrams on a chalk board
Word Builder Quiz Vol. 2 Pick the letter that when added to a word will ma...
See All