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grotesque

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noun

Synonym Chooser

How is the word grotesque different from other adjectives like it?

The words bizarre and fantastic are common synonyms of grotesque. While all three words mean "conceived, made, or carried out without adherence to truth or reality," grotesque may apply to what is conventionally ugly but artistically effective or it may connote ludicrous awkwardness or incongruity often with sinister or tragic overtones.

grotesque statues on the cathedral
though grieving, she made a grotesque attempt at a smile

When could bizarre be used to replace grotesque?

In some situations, the words bizarre and grotesque are roughly equivalent. However, bizarre applies to the sensationally strange and implies violence of contrast or incongruity of combination.

a bizarre medieval castle in the heart of a modern city

When would fantastic be a good substitute for grotesque?

The words fantastic and grotesque are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, fantastic may connote extravagance in conception or ingenuity of decorative invention.

dreamed up fantastic rumors

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of grotesque
Adjective
Returnal Returnal was one of the first exclusives of the PS5 generation; a fabulously grotesque sci-fi horror dirge, and still worth your attention today. Luke Winkie, Vulture, 1 Apr. 2025 Remember: Tren de Aragua is one of the most grotesque drug organizations in the entire world. Kevin Sabet, Newsweek, 24 Mar. 2025
Noun
Winifred, the protagonist of this Victorian-era grotesque, takes a position as a governess at an English manor. The New Yorker, 24 Feb. 2025 His early short films, such as Six Men Getting Sick (1967) and The Grandmother (1970), showcased his talent for blending the grotesque with the beautiful, setting the stage for his groundbreaking debut feature, Eraserhead (1977). Darryn King, Forbes, 17 Jan. 2025 See All Example Sentences for grotesque
Recent Examples of Synonyms for grotesque
Adjective
  • According to cops, Mette, while inside Tamara’s Beauty Bar, a salon on Lenox Ave. near W. 113th St., heard a loud argument between two groups about 10:20 p.m. Tuesday.
    Nicholas Williams, New York Daily News, 24 Apr. 2025
  • Such evidence could support the view that incessant loud noise amounts to torture or cruel treatment towards cetaceans, in turn galvanizing support for a new right to be free from such harm.
    David Gruber, Time, 24 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • The biggest storyline in the series, however, has been all of the ugly hits and bad blood between the two state rivals.
    James Mirtle, New York Times, 29 Apr. 2025
  • Brinkley in her book describes one ugly scene when Joel, deep in his cups, ate a heap of spaghetti directly from a large pan on the stove, then vehemently kicked everyone out of the house for eating his pasta.
    Marc Weingarten, Los Angeles Times, 29 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • The Switch was a monster, so the assumption is that sure, players will pay a full 50% more for a new one, if not more.
    Paul Tassi, Forbes.com, 24 Apr. 2025
  • The trailer depicts sequences involving multiple predators fighting or threatening one another, Elle Fanning looking very strange and cool as an android, and glimpses of new monsters and the alien world the movie focuses on.
    John Timmer, ArsTechnica, 23 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • So, designing the model's apparent personality to be positive and supportive makes sense—people are less likely to use an AI that comes off as harsh or dismissive.
    ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 29 Apr. 2025
  • Wash your hair gently, moisturize regularly with scalp-friendly products, and avoid scratching or harsh brushing.
    Mohammed Soliman, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • PreSonus has also added something called a soft start circuit that stops the speakers from making the hideous thumping sound that some speakers can produce when they are turned on or off.
    Mark Sparrow, Forbes.com, 20 Apr. 2025
  • It must be emphasized that these companies are not just enabling hideous criminal activity, but directly profiting from it.
    Aaron Ping, Denver Post, 15 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • By contrast, Doom: The Dark Ages flings the player back into the dark ages to witness a war between two factions that look like a low-rent knock-off imitation of series like Warhammer — grotesqueries and all.
    Kazuma Hashimoto, Rolling Stone, 31 Mar. 2025
  • Severance is really letting its body-horror freak flag fly this season, and the grotesquerie of its obsession with how bodies can be manipulated, against our will or without our knowledge, includes Gemma but isn’t limited to her.
    Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 28 Feb. 2025
Adjective
  • The production is moving faster than his raps, which sounds a bit jarring at first.
    Angel Diaz, Billboard, 22 Apr. 2025
  • The result is a jarring financial cliff that could reshape the landscape of public education for years.
    Charlotte Morabito, CNBC, 22 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • 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
  • His side's inability to finish off the game against Burnley on the other hand was very unpleasing.
    SI.com, SI.com, 1 Feb. 2018

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Cite this Entry

“Grotesque.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/grotesque. Accessed 2 May. 2025.

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