as in monsters
a strange or horrible and often frightening creature
a gallery of grotesques from some horror movie
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Recent Examples of grotesques
The grotesques were decorative stone faces around the castle.
—
Adam Fox, CBS News, 14 May 2026
The script, by Ed Solomon, treats the Sklar siblings as cardboard grotesques—heartless, talentless, united in their loathing of a father who loathes them right back.
—Justin Chang, New Yorker, 3 Apr. 2026
Indeed, compared with the realistically creased faces and hangdog stares of the Cubs, the Boston fans behind them are closer to grotesques, an inhuman crush of caricatures.
—Christopher Borrelli, Chicago Tribune, 10 Feb. 2026
As the agent rambles, the cameras onstage freeze Tullock’s face at unflattering moments, and the screens behind her display a series of grotesques.
—Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 16 Oct. 2025
Adam Fox, CBS News, 14 May 2026
The script, by Ed Solomon, treats the Sklar siblings as cardboard grotesques—heartless, talentless, united in their loathing of a father who loathes them right back.
—Justin Chang, New Yorker, 3 Apr. 2026
Indeed, compared with the realistically creased faces and hangdog stares of the Cubs, the Boston fans behind them are closer to grotesques, an inhuman crush of caricatures.
—Christopher Borrelli, Chicago Tribune, 10 Feb. 2026
As the agent rambles, the cameras onstage freeze Tullock’s face at unflattering moments, and the screens behind her display a series of grotesques.
—Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 16 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for grotesques
Noun
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Based on the popular Quebec comic book created by Samuel Parent and commissioned by and produced in collaboration with Télé-Québec, the series, aimed at 6 to 9-year-olds, follows the adventures of a fearless kid who confronts monsters that haunt children in the darkness of night.—
Ed Meza,
Variety,
22 June 2026
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With no idea what's going on, Dylan flees the FBC to find that the Hiss — otherworldly crimson monsters from another dimension — have overrun Manhattan.—
George Yang,
Space.com,
22 June 2026
Noun
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As in Pillion and elsewhere, Melling imbues a premise’s potential grotesqueries with real and specific feelings.—
Jackson McHenry,
Vulture,
20 Feb. 2026
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The abundance of these grotesqueries was almost stranger than their existence.—
Miles Klee,
Rolling Stone,
14 Dec. 2025
Noun
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When their biggest demonic enemy (Lee Byung-hun) encourages the formation of an equally popular K-pop boy band aimed at stealing the souls of their fans, the trio has to fight harder than ever to hold the demons at bay while keeping their friendship intact.—
Zac Ntim,
Deadline,
18 June 2026
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These are places from Filipino folklore, where shapeshifters, demons, witches, and monsters exist.—
Jazz Tangcay,
Variety,
18 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Grotesques.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/grotesques. Accessed 25 Jun. 2026.
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