hideous

adjective

hid·​eous ˈhi-dē-əs 

1

: offensive to the senses and especially to sight : exceedingly ugly

hideous furniture

The dress looked hideous on her.

2

: morally offensive : shocking

a hideous crime

hideosity

ˌhi-dē-ˈä-sə-tē 

noun

hideously adverb

hideousness noun

Synonyms

• abhorrent
• abominable
• appalling
• awful
• disgusting
• distasteful
• dreadful
• evil
• foul
• fulsome
• gross
• horrendous
• horrible
• horrid
• loathsome
• nasty
• nauseating
• nauseous
• noisome
• noxious
• obnoxious
• obscene
• odious
• offensive
• rancid
• repellent
• repellant
• repugnant
• repulsive
• revolting
• scandalous
• shocking
• sickening
• ugly

Examples of hideous in a Sentence

The room was filled with hideous furniture.

the hideous way in which she treated her maid after she discovered her ring was missing

Recent Examples on the Web

These larvae of the Dobson fly are rather hideous, actually, featuring long segmented bodies and nasty pinchers that will nip at your fingertips. —Joe Cermele, Outdoor Life, 23 May 2024

Or those bizarre reptilian bracelets from TAG Heuer in the 1980s and ’90s that seemed hideous five years ago and are now starting to look, well, at least interesting. —Allen Farmelo, Robb Report, 22 May 2024

Word History

Etymology

alteration of Middle English hidous, from Anglo-French hidus, hisdos, from Old French hisde, hide terror

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

hideous

adjective

hid·​eous ˈhid-ē-əs 

: horribly ugly or disgusting : frightful

hideously adverb

hideousness noun