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

The bottom line: Do whatever makes your heart happy, but, please, spare us the hideous inflatables at all times of the year. —Tasha Tsiaperas, Axios, 26 Sep. 2024

This was a hideous mistake, the details of which should remain unspoken. —Bill Goodykoontz, The Arizona Republic, 24 Sep. 2024

The horrifying metamorphosis finds Elisabeth becoming the decaying mutation called Gollum and both of them transforming into the hideous Monstro. —Bill Desowitz, IndieWire, 1 Oct. 2024

In that vein, The Substance felt like just another slasher, body horror movie, where the victims (clueless, not careful enough, hubristic) are partly responsible for their hideous demise. —Valerie Monroe, Allure, 30 Sep. 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