stick/stand out like a sore thumb

idiom

informal
: to be very noticeable in usually a bad way

Example Sentences

Recent Examples on the Web Though sometimes pieces like this can stick out like a sore thumb, the use of lighter materials like white-coated steel and unfinished wood creates less contrast against a standard white door. Quincy Bulin, Better Homes & Gardens, 4 Jan. 2023 What the quarterback didn’t want to happen in his return was to stick out like a sore thumb. Dallas News, 24 Oct. 2022 When an artist records with me, everything about the song has to stick out like a sore thumb — hooks, bars, concepts. A.d. Amorosi, Variety, 10 Apr. 2022 While most air purifiers are clunky, this one has a sleek, modern design that won’t stick out like a sore thumb in a living room or bedroom. Amanda Lauren, Forbes, 31 Jan. 2022 The game uses low-polygon models for Pokémon that are farther away from you, but often (as with Tangela here) those models are visible from close up and stick out like a sore thumb. Andrew Cunningham, Ars Technica, 26 Jan. 2022 However, researchers have since pointed out that Shipman’s murderous tendencies stick out like a sore thumb if they are viewed through the lens of statistics. The Physics Arxiv Blog, Discover Magazine, 24 Sep. 2021 Over time, though, certain aspects of the industry started to stick out like a sore thumb. Kaleigh Fasanella, Harper's BAZAAR, 3 May 2021 In order to fit in better and not stick out like a sore thumb, some immigrants reject their heritage to adopt the values and lifestyles of the dominant society. New York Times, 7 Aug. 2020 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'stick/stand out like a sore thumb.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Dictionary Entries Near stick/stand out like a sore thumb

stick-slip

stick/stand out like a sore thumb

sticktail

Cite this Entry

“Stick/stand out like a sore thumb.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/stick%2Fstand%20out%20like%20a%20sore%20thumb. Accessed 5 Jun. 2023.

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