How to pronounce atrocious
Say it like uh-TROH-shus. Atrocious has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (TROH).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce atrocious. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- uh
- TROH
- shus
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Atrocious pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- uhKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
- TROHSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "o" in go.
- shusKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
American vs British pronunciation of atrocious
- The long o starts further forward in British English, closer to "uh-oo" than the American "oh".
British respelling: uh-TROH-shus.
What does atrocious mean?
- Frightful, evil, cruel, or monstrous.“Prisons have been the sites of atrocious mistreatment of prisoners.”
- Offensive or heinous.
- Very bad; abominable, disgusting.“Their taste in clothes is just atrocious.”
Where does atrocious come from?
From Latin atrōx (“cruel, fierce, frightful”) + -ious.
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Words that rhyme with atrocious
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of atrocious.
Questions about saying atrocious
How do you pronounce atrocious?
Say uh-TROH-shus. The American pronunciation is /əˈtroʊʃəs/. In British English it is /əˈtrəʊʃəs/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in atrocious?
Atrocious has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (TROH). Broken into parts: uh · TROH · shus.
Is atrocious pronounced differently in British English?
Yes. The long o starts further forward in British English, closer to "uh-oo" than the American "oh". The British form is /əˈtrəʊʃəs/ (uh-TROH-shus).