monstrosity

noun

mon·​stros·​i·​ty män-ˈsträ-sə-tē 

plural monstrosities

1

a

: a malformation of a plant or animal

b

: something deviating from the normal : freak

2

: the quality or state of being monstrous

the monstrosity of the tsunami's devastation

3

a

: an object of great and often frightening size, force, or complexity

this monstrosity, the atomic bomb

b

: an excessively bad or shocking example

The new building is an architectural monstrosity.

Synonyms of monstrosity

• anomaly
• mutation
• monster

Examples of monstrosity in a Sentence

Did you see the new mall? It's a monstrosity.

any monstrosities born to the farm animals were sent to the agricultural college for study

Recent Examples on the Web

This visitor-repellant monstrosity was an anachronism when new and got worse over time. —Dp Opinion, Denver Post, 2 May 2026

Take one of the marquee pop singles of 2025, a so-wrong-it’s-right, mixolydian monstrosity of new age-isms, Beyoncé runs, and jersey club. —Walden Green, Pitchfork, 1 May 2026

The New Yorker’s digital design director, Aviva Michaelov, says that Szauder sent around 15 different sketches to senior art director Supriya Kalidas, including the one that eventually led to the final Hydra-esque eldritch monstrosity that can be seen above the article. —Cath Virginia, The Verge, 11 Apr. 2026

Or an amorphous concrete monstrosity. —Jessica Gelt, Los Angeles Times, 8 Apr. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Rhymes for monstrosity

• atrocity
• ferocity
• pomposity
• porosity
• precocity
• schistosity
• velocity
• verbosity
• viscosity
• animosity
• curiosity
• generosity

Kids Definition

monstrosity

noun

mon·​stros·​i·​ty män-ˈsträs-ət-ē 

plural monstrosities

1

: the condition of being monstrous

2

: something monstrous : monster