むごたらしい

む

ご

た

ら

し

い

Meanings

1

i-adjective

cruel; atrocious; brutal; horrific

usually written using kana alone

Describes an act, event, or situation that is shockingly cruel, brutal, or tragic. Often used for violent crimes, accidents, or heartbreaking stories.

むごたらしい事じ件けんのニュースに心こころが痛いたんだ。
My heart ached at the news of the brutal incident.

彼かれはむごたらしい方ほう法ほうで殺ころされた。

He was killed in a horrific way.

Written forms

むごたらしいUsage77%
Usually written in kana; the kanji forms 惨たらしい and 酷たらしい are rare and may not be recognized by all readers.
惨むごたらしいUsage18%
Rare kanji spelling using 惨 (wretched, cruel).
酷むごたらしいUsage5%
Rare kanji spelling using 酷 (cruel, severe).

Kanji

惨wretched, disaster, cruelty
酷cruel, severe, atrocious

Similar words

残ざん酷こく
残酷 is a more common and neutral word for 'cruelty' or 'cruel', while むごたらしい emphasizes the shocking, gruesome, or heartbreaking nature of the cruelty.
悲ひ惨さん
悲惨 means 'miserable' or 'tragic' and focuses on the pitiful state of affairs, whereas むごたらしい stresses the cruelty or brutality behind the tragedy.

Etymology

Derived from むごい (cruel, harsh) with the suffix たらしい, which adds emphasis and a sense of being 'very much like' or 'full of' the quality. The exact historical development is uncertain.