adj

egregious

ih-GREE-juhs

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Egregious (adj) means Shockingly bad or blatant; standing out in a negative way. Example: “That was an egregious error that cost the company millions.”

adj

Shockingly bad or blatant; standing out in a negative way.

"That was an egregious error that cost the company millions."

"The referee made an egregious mistake that decided the match."

How to use egregious

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishReally, obviously bad — the kind of mistake or behavior that's impossible to overlook.

Common mistake

Almost always negative in modern English, even though the Latin root originally praised something as exceptional.

Common pairings

egregious error egregious violation an egregious lie

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C2 · Advanced serendipity Fortunate discoveries made entirely by accident.

Gen Z slang rizz Charm — the ability to attract a romantic interest.

B2 · Intermediate empathy The capacity to share another person’s feelings.

C1 · Advanced nonchalant Casually calm and relaxed; unconcerned.

Internet slang delulu Delusional — believing something against the odds.

Etymology nostalgia Greek nostos “return home” + algos “pain”.

C2 · Advanced serendipity Fortunate discoveries made entirely by accident.

Gen Z slang rizz Charm — the ability to attract a romantic interest.

B2 · Intermediate empathy The capacity to share another person’s feelings.

C1 · Advanced nonchalant Casually calm and relaxed; unconcerned.

Internet slang delulu Delusional — believing something against the odds.

Etymology nostalgia Greek nostos “return home” + algos “pain”.

Word forms

Comparative: more egregious
Superlative: most egregious

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That was an _____ error that cost the company millions.

Etymology

From Latin egregius ("outstanding, distinguished"), literally "standing out from the flock" (e- "out of" + grex "flock"). The word once meant "remarkably good," but over time it flipped to mean "remarkably bad."

Origin: Latin

Synonyms

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rank flagrant crying glaring gross

Antonyms

normal ordinary commonplace common

Related words

public general community special common park green individual

Rhymes for egregious

yous nous heinous ominous curious anxious copious tenuous unctuous tortuous spurious infamous

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Frequently asked questions

What does “egregious” mean?

The word “egregious” means shockingly bad or blatant; standing out in a negative way. In plain terms, really, obviously bad — the kind of mistake or behavior that's impossible to overlook.

How do you pronounce “egregious”?

“Egregious” is pronounced ih-GREE-juhs (/ɪˈɡɹiː.d͡ʒəs/ in IPA).

How do you use “egregious” in a sentence?

Here is “egregious” used in a sentence: “That was an egregious error that cost the company millions.”

What part of speech is “egregious”?

“Egregious” is an adjective.

Where does the word “egregious” come from?

The word “egregious” comes from Latin. From Latin egregius ("outstanding, distinguished"), literally "standing out from the flock" (e- "out of" + grex "flock"). The word once meant "remarkably good," but over time it flipped to mean "remarkably bad.".

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