grotesquerie
noun
gro·tes·que·rie
grō-ˈte-skə-rē 
variants
or less commonly grotesquery
plural grotesqueries
1
: something that is grotesque
2
: the quality or state of being grotesque : grotesqueness
Examples of grotesquerie in a Sentence
born Joseph Merrick, the so-called Elephant Man was for a time exhibited as a sideshow grotesquerie
Recent Examples on the Web
There’s a provision in the Dodd-Frank financial reform law that’s supposed to deal with such grotesqueries.
—
Timothy Noah, The New Republic, 2 May 2023
But the difference with Trump is that his massive influence on American political coalitions is largely based on whether voters thrill to his transgressions or are appalled by his grotesqueries.
—Ben Jacobs, The New Republic, 21 Sep. 2023
The Big Forehead and Eye Distance filters morph familiar faces into comic grotesqueries, to the delight of all.
—Charlotte Shane, WIRED, 24 Aug. 2023
Lankov argues that this is a convoluted distortion of one of the real-life grotesqueries of North Korean life.
—Will Sommer, Washington Post, 16 July 2023
The show both mirrors and skewers the grotesqueries of online life.
—Phillip MacIak, The New Republic, 9 June 2023
As a case in point, the recent British referendum over the United Kingdom’s membership in the EU was a reckless gamble that took a very real issue—the need for more open and legitimate contestation in the EU—and turned it into a political grotesquerie of shamelessly opportunistic political elites.
—Kathleen R. McNamara, Foreign Affairs, 28 June 2016
Doja later clarified the origins of the tattoo in question—a part-human, part-animal creature—by sharing the source material to Instagram; the 1616 artwork De Monstris by Fortunio Licenti, which depicts several such grotesqueries combining human features with elements nature.
—Philip Ellis, Men's Health, 28 June 2023
Further coverage alit on other Qatari grotesqueries: its lack of free expression, its brutal treatment of homosexuals, and the general subjugation of Qatari women.
—Alex Shephard, The New Republic, 10 May 2023
See More
Timothy Noah, The New Republic, 2 May 2023
But the difference with Trump is that his massive influence on American political coalitions is largely based on whether voters thrill to his transgressions or are appalled by his grotesqueries.
—Ben Jacobs, The New Republic, 21 Sep. 2023
The Big Forehead and Eye Distance filters morph familiar faces into comic grotesqueries, to the delight of all.
—Charlotte Shane, WIRED, 24 Aug. 2023
Lankov argues that this is a convoluted distortion of one of the real-life grotesqueries of North Korean life.
—Will Sommer, Washington Post, 16 July 2023
The show both mirrors and skewers the grotesqueries of online life.
—Phillip MacIak, The New Republic, 9 June 2023
As a case in point, the recent British referendum over the United Kingdom’s membership in the EU was a reckless gamble that took a very real issue—the need for more open and legitimate contestation in the EU—and turned it into a political grotesquerie of shamelessly opportunistic political elites.
—Kathleen R. McNamara, Foreign Affairs, 28 June 2016
Doja later clarified the origins of the tattoo in question—a part-human, part-animal creature—by sharing the source material to Instagram; the 1616 artwork De Monstris by Fortunio Licenti, which depicts several such grotesqueries combining human features with elements nature.
—Philip Ellis, Men's Health, 28 June 2023
Further coverage alit on other Qatari grotesqueries: its lack of free expression, its brutal treatment of homosexuals, and the general subjugation of Qatari women.
—Alex Shephard, The New Republic, 10 May 2023
See More
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'grotesquerie.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Etymology
grotesque + French -erie -ery
First Known Use
circa 1666, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Dictionary Entries Near grotesquerie
Cite this Entry
“Grotesquerie.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/grotesquerie. Accessed 30 Nov. 2023.
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