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monstrous

monstrous

27 7.3
Very cruel and shocking, causing strong fear
  • adjective
  • /ˈmɑnstrəs/
translation icon : monstruoso
  • Kurt hesitated only a moment before he told his father the story of the buzzards' monstrous attack.
  • monstrous evil
  • monstrous crimes

I'm guilty of a far more monstrous crime.

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Examples

  • War is the most monstrous of man's illusions.

  • How dare you enter my house on the day my beloved husband died and utter such monstrous, ridiculous sentiments?

  • In the face of monstrous evil, the worst possible response is to feel nothing.

    Academic text (2000)
  • - What was done to me was monstrous.

  • I'm guilty of a far more monstrous crime.

  • It's such a monstrous moral error.

  • I actually think the most monstrous part is how cruel survivors are to themselves and how they talk to themselves.

  • In my panic flight from my monstrous father, I try desperately to wake up.

    Fiction book (1998)
  • The poet shows that even the "pregnant" Palestinian women were not spared from the Zionists' monstrous slaughter.

    Academic text (2018)
  • The judge declared that the defendant's actions were so monstrous that they shocked the entire community.

Synonyms

horrible
vsmonstrous
1.5

Very bad or frightening in a way that makes you feel upset

implies stronger moral cruelty and exceptional evil beyond unpleasantness
terrible
vsmonstrous
658 1.0

So frightening that people feel afraid

highlights particularly cruel and shocking evil beyond general dread
brutal
vsmonstrous
  • NSFW
229 4.8

Very cruel and violent, causing pain or suffering

is broader, adding a sense of shocking evil beyond physical violence
horrific
vsmonstrous
179 5.5

Causing great fear or shock

leans more toward active cruelty and evil that shocks people morally
hideous
vsmonstrous
171 5.1

Very ugly and likely to make people feel shocked or disgusted

focuses more on cruel evil that shocks morally rather than mere repulsion
vile
vsmonstrous
157 5.0

Very bad and morally wrong

is stronger, stressing extreme cruelty that causes horror and outrage
dreadful
vsmonstrous
136 3.7

Very bad and unpleasant, often causing fear or shock

is stronger, stressing cruel and exceptionally evil actions that outrage
heinous
vsmonstrous
  • Formal
92 9.0

Extremely cruel and shocking

adds emphasis on cruel brutality that evokes strong horror
demonic
vsmonstrous
91 8.1

Extremely evil and cruel, as if caused by the devil

stresses physical cruelty and shocking brutality over supernatural origin
gruesome
vsmonstrous
  • NSFW
90 6.2

Shocking and unpleasant because it shows death or serious injury

focuses more on moral cruelty and shocking wickedness than physical gore
appalling
vsmonstrous
87 5.6

Causing shock and strong disgust because it is very bad

points more to intensely cruel or evil actions that provoke horror
horrendous
vsmonstrous
82 7.0

Very shocking and scary, causing fear or disgust

adds a clear sense of cruel wickedness that outrages moral feeling
awful
vsmonstrous
  • Archaic
65 1.1

Very frightening and causing fear or dread

is stronger in moral cruelty and shocking wickedness than mere fright
horrid
vsmonstrous
52 4.1

A very unpleasant thing that shocks or disgusts you

is harsher, emphasizing cruel brutality that evokes outrage
ghastly
vsmonstrous
49 6.8

Causing great fear and shock, often like death or ghosts

is more grounded in cruel wickedness that arouses moral outrage
diabolical
vsmonstrous
44 8.2

Very evil and cruel, like a devil

leans more toward raw cruelty that provokes horror rather than devilry
inhumane
vsmonstrous
  • NSFW
37 5.9

Very cruel and causing pain to people or animals

adds an element of shocking brutality that evokes outrage
inhuman
vsmonstrous
30 6.0

Very cruel and not feeling pity

is more about brutal cruelty that actively causes horror
grievous
vsmonstrous
  • Formal
26 7.9

Causing great pain or sorrow

focuses more narrowly on cruel evil meant to shock and outrage
odious
vsmonstrous
  • Formal
20 8.2

Very unpleasant and likely to make people feel strong dislike

is about extreme cruelty that causes horror and moral outrage
nightmarish
vsmonstrous
17 7.0

Very frightening and unpleasant, like a bad dream

is more about deliberate cruel evil that provokes moral outrage
villainous
vsmonstrous
14 7.3

Very bad and cruel, often hurting other people

adds shocking brutality and cruel intensity beyond mere wickedness
atrocious
vsmonstrous
12 7.6

Very cruel and shocking, causing great pain and fear

stresses moral wickedness and evil intent that provoke outrage
fiendish
vsmonstrous
10 7.9

Being very cruel and evil and making others suffer

is more bluntly violent and shocking rather than cunningly cruel
frightful
vsmonstrous
6 5.1

Very scary and likely to make someone feel afraid

adds sense of exceptional cruelty and evil causing outrage
beastly
vsmonstrous
3 6.5

Cruel and showing no care for other people like an animal

is more about shocking, exceptionally evil cruelty that evokes outrage
flagitious
vsmonstrous
  • Archaic
1 9.9

A very wicked and criminal act that shocks people

focuses more on brutal cruelty that causes horror or outrage
ogreish
vsmonstrous
  • Offensive
8.8

Someone who is very mean and greedy and frightens other people

stresses intentional wicked cruelty that causes moral horror

Antonyms

534 1.0

Being helpful and caring toward other people

53 5.1

Willing to help other people and give them things they need

How Cruel

monstrous
27 7.3
brutal
  • NSFW
229 4.8
cruel
522 2.7
harsh
289 2.8
unkind
44 1.0

Surface Forms

monstrous positive
monstrouser comparative
monstrousest superlative

Morphology

monstrous = monster (semi-transparent) = monster + ous

Formed from 'monster' + '-ous', but the moral/behavioural sense ('cruel, evil') is a figurative extension from monstrous beings to monstrous behaviour.

Etymology

Monstrous comes from Latin monstrum, the same root as monster, which named strange and frightening things, so calling an action 'monstrous' means it is 'shockingly cruel' or evil, like something a monster would do.