Vocabulary
Egregious meaning: exceptionally bad or offensive
A mistake may be frustrating. An egregious mistake is so bad that people find it hard to excuse.
Use egregious for an action, error, or behaviour that is exceptionally bad and deserves strong criticism.
Read and practice
Read the examples and try the written questions in this guide. Listening recordings are not available for this lesson yet.
Try the written questions
egregious /ɪˈɡriːdʒəs/
The short answer
Egregious means extremely bad, shocking, or offensive, especially because the action or mistake is far beyond what people can accept.
The report identified an egregious error in the safety records.
Why it works: The error was serious enough to deserve unusually strong criticism.
3 more examples
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Leaving confidential files on a public train was an egregious breach of the company's rules.
The breach was presented as exceptionally serious, rather than a small accidental slip.
Not this:Leaving confidential files on a public train was
an unfortunate breachof the company's rules. What changes: Unfortunate expresses regret. Egregious adds the judgement that the breach was strikingly bad. -
The referee apologised for an egregious error that changed the result.
The error was serious and difficult to defend because of its effect on the result.
Not this:The referee apologised for
a minor errorthat changed the result. What changes: Minor reduces the seriousness. Egregious says the error was far worse than a normal mistake. -
The customer described the unexplained charge as an egregious example of poor service.
The speaker treats the charge as an extreme case of bad service.
Not this:The customer described the unexplained charge as
a typical exampleof poor service. What changes: Typical says the situation is common. Egregious says it is exceptionally bad.
Read the full guide
Use egregious when the degree of badness matters. It usually sounds formal and critical, so it suits a report, complaint, review, or serious discussion better than casual praise or mild disagreement.
Choose a word for exceptional badness
Egregious is stronger than bad, poor, or wrong. It tells the listener that the speaker sees a major failure, often one that should have been avoided. The word carries blame as well as criticism.
Ignoring a clear fire alarm would be an egregious failure of judgement.
Pair it with a clear noun
The most natural patterns name the problem after egregious: an egregious error, an egregious lie, an egregious abuse of power, or egregious conduct. A concrete noun gives the criticism a clear target.
The judge called the repeated delays an egregious abuse of the court's time.
Keep the tone proportionate
Because egregious is severe, it fits a serious failure more easily than a minor inconvenience. A late reply may be annoying. Destroying evidence or hiding a serious risk may be egregious.
A careless spelling error is usually a mistake. Changing records to mislead an investigation may be an egregious act.
Hear the stressed syllable
Say e-GREE-jus. The middle syllable is the strongest part of the word. Keep the final syllable short, as in the ending of serious.
That was an egregious mistake.
Decide whether it fits
A shop sends one customer the wrong receipt and corrects it immediately. Is egregious the best description?
Usually no. The mistake may be inconvenient, but egregious suggests a much more serious or shocking failure. More context could change that judgement.
Before you go
Remember this
Use egregious for a strikingly bad action, mistake, breach, or example. The word carries a firm critical tone and is strongest when you identify what made the conduct unacceptable.
Practice with the written examples
You can practice with the written questions in the Learn tab. Each answer includes an explanation.
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Try the written questionsQuestions about "Egregious meaning: exceptionally bad or offensive"
What does egregious mean?
Egregious means exceptionally bad, shocking, or offensive. It is a strong formal word for an error, action, or behaviour that deserves serious criticism.
Leaving confidential files on a public train was an egregious breach of the company's rules.
Is egregious stronger than bad?
Yes. Bad is a general negative description, while egregious says that something is far worse than normal and is difficult to excuse or accept.
Leaving confidential files on a public train was an unfortunate breach of the company's rules.
Can I say an egregious mistake?
Yes. An egregious mistake is an exceptionally serious mistake, often one with a clear harmful effect or one that should have been prevented.
The referee apologised for an egregious error that changed the result.
Does egregious always have a negative meaning?
In modern English, egregious is almost always negative. Historical sources record an older positive meaning, but learners should use the common modern negative sense.
The referee apologised for a minor error that changed the result.
How do you pronounce egregious?
In British English, say e-GREE-jus: /ɪˈɡriːdʒəs/. Put the main stress on the second syllable and keep the final syllable short.
The customer described the unexplained charge as an egregious example of poor service.
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