1
as in loud
disagreeable to one's aesthetic or artistic sense
the gaudy, overdecorated interior of the gambling casino was just too grotesque for my taste
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in ugly
unpleasant to look at
that bloody Halloween mask is grotesque
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in monster
a strange or horrible and often frightening creature
a gallery of grotesques from some horror movie
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of grotesque
New York Times, 9 Feb. 2026
These grotesque lies brought additional, immense pain to grieving families and friends.
—Peter Wehner, The Atlantic, 29 Jan. 2026
Marcus Jones, IndieWire, 12 Nov. 2025
More recently, the trend has leaned even more surreal, even into the grotesque.
—Emily Johnson, Architectural Digest, 18 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for grotesque
Adjective
The often grotesque, highly entertaining flick stars Alison Lohman as Christine Brown, a perfectly nice bank loan officer with a perfectly nice boyfriend (Justin Long).
—New York Times, 9 Feb. 2026
These grotesque lies brought additional, immense pain to grieving families and friends.
—Peter Wehner, The Atlantic, 29 Jan. 2026
Noun
Their creative collaboration, taking inspiration from ivory anatomy figures to settle on a look that balances the beauty with the grotesque, is an achievement that has more than made the 10 hours in the makeup chair each day worth it.
—Marcus Jones, IndieWire, 12 Nov. 2025
More recently, the trend has leaned even more surreal, even into the grotesque.
—Emily Johnson, Architectural Digest, 18 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for grotesque
Recent Examples of Synonyms for grotesque
Adjective
-
Two sources who attended the party described witnessing a loud verbal exchange between Nick Reiner and his parents.—
Clara Harter,
Los Angeles Times,
21 Feb. 2026
-
Miraflores, meanwhile, is also chock-a-block with great shopping and restaurants, though the rush-hour honking gets louder, and various corners have distinctly different feels, from the very commercial to the quaint and old-school.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
21 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
In more ways than one, this war has mutated into an ugly numbers game.—
Matthew Chance,
CNN Money,
21 Feb. 2026
-
The artist has described herself as a black hole where people can dump their feelings, but her music moves beyond ugly emotions toward catharsis.—
Sheldon Pearce,
New Yorker,
20 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
New Yorkers only just freed from the snow and ice left by January’s monster storm will once again face winter’s wrath.—
Jessica Schladebeck,
New York Daily News,
21 Feb. 2026
-
If a monster is there, and the monster is those who escape justice or being held to account.—
Jazz Tangcay,
Variety,
21 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Prosecutors say the defendant failed to take into account his girlfriend’s inexperience in mountain climbing as well as the harsh winter conditions.—
Sophie Tanno,
CNN Money,
19 Feb. 2026
-
Bathroom Fixtures There are no harsh or abrasive chemicals involved in steam cleaning bathroom fixtures.—
Rae Ford,
Martha Stewart,
19 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
The 4chan logic that turned even the most hideous news and ideas into empty entertainment pervades everything on the internet now—more proof that lol, nothing matters.—
Charlie Warzel,
The Atlantic,
14 Feb. 2026
-
The hideous curbside piles of frozen slush blocking New York City streets have a name.—
Ian Crouch,
New Yorker,
3 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
For some Lake Norman-area residents, the scene felt jarring.—
Evan Moore,
Charlotte Observer,
19 Feb. 2026
-
This creates a jarring effect as the significance of her busy endeavours is sublimated by the perverted impulse to judge her physical form.—
Sophie Monks Kaufman,
IndieWire,
16 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Rosemary makes one of the best companion plants for apple trees because of its strong scent that's unpleasing to critters looking to snack on a juicy red apple.—
Ashlyn Needham,
The Spruce,
16 Feb. 2026
-
Smears on non-sensor areas of the tiara are like bug debris on your hood, aesthetically unpleasing but not harmful.—
Eric Tegler,
Popular Mechanics,
1 Oct. 2019
Adjective
-
Just last week the president tweeted a vile and disgusting image of President Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama, and refuses to apologize.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
18 Feb. 2026
-
So the disgusting attempt to rewrite history – won’t help.—
Grace Gilson,
Sun Sentinel,
16 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Grotesque.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/grotesque. Accessed 24 Feb. 2026.
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