hideous

adjective

ˈhi-dē-əs How to pronounce hideous (audio)
Definition of hideousnext
1
as in ugly
causing intense displeasure, disgust, or resentment the hideous way in which she treated her maid after she discovered her ring was missing

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in gruesome
extremely disturbing or repellent a hideous crime that could not be fully described in the newspapers

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in grotesque
unpleasant to look at wearing a hideous Halloween mask that made the kids all jump with fright

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 hideous This is a hideous colour, the sort that shouldn’t be seen anywhere other than on someone helping kids cross the road near a school. — Nick Miller, New York Times, 10 June 2026 Supposedly the poem was inspired by a peyote-vision where the edifice of San Francisco’s Sir Francis Drake Hotel was transformed into a hideous, twisted, demonic visage, which inspired the beating heart of Howl’s second section. — Literary Hub, 3 June 2026 This used to be a death knell—the shoes that fit the bill were hideous until a few years ago. — Tamim Alnuweiri, InStyle, 31 May 2026 After hideous 6-1 loss in Game 4, the theme for the team was to play more connected. — Steve Conroy, Boston Herald, 29 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for hideous
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hideous
  1. ugly
  2. gruesome
  3. grotesque
  4. disgusting
  5. horrific
  6. unpleasing
  7. horrible
  8. shocking
Adjective
  • The seventh-round rookie threw an ugly interception in the first quarter, while backpedaling and off his back foot.
    — Sam McDowell, Kansas City Star, 29 Aug. 2026
  • Several leading Democrats, including Senator Elissa Slotkin of Michigan and House Speaker Hakeem Jeffries, issued statements denouncing Piker’s ugly warning to the Jews as a barely veiled anti-Semitic threat.
    — Jonathan Chait, The Atlantic, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of ugly
Adjective
  • No iPhone footage of the attack to replay in gruesome slow motion.
    — Jeff Weiss, HollywoodReporter, 1 Sep. 2026
  • The inevitable father-son reunion is a result of gruesome circumstances.
    — Christian Zilko, IndieWire, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of gruesome
Adjective
  • The bizarre and grotesque outcome is that the repressiveness of the state proves to be its own reward.
    — Alexandra Schwartz, New Yorker, 21 Aug. 2026
  • Midge's grotesque, defiant nature challenged societal norms, solidifying her as a pioneering and powerful figure in comics.
    — Rob Salkowitz, Forbes.com, 17 Aug. 2026
Definition of grotesque
Adjective
  • There is real hope of a postseason push, with the disgusting state of the American League leaving the door open for any team that dares to play well.
    — Mitch Bannon, New York Times, 26 Aug. 2026
  • This whole situation is discriminatory, disgusting, and quite frankly, Orwellian.
    — Jon Root OutKick, FOXNews.com, 17 Aug. 2026
Definition of disgusting
Adjective
  • The chilling new detail about Jesus Acosta’s horrific spree was revealed at the 31-year-old ex-con’s arraignment in Bronx Criminal Court late Sunday, where he was ordered held without bail for the two cold-blooded shootings.
    — John Annese, New York Daily News, 31 Aug. 2026
  • Then there is the horrific crash on the McHenry County side of the Fox River, where on July 25 Alan Telmini and Magdalena Jablonska, both from Des Plaines, were cruising the river south of the McHenry Dam.
    — Charles Selle, Chicago Tribune, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of horrific
Adjective
  • The identity of the unpleasing Lindsay Marriott’s slayer has no pressing interest.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 23 July 2026
  • The remarks not only referred to the aesthetics of the game – tedious matches devoid of skillful merit that were unpleasing to watch.
    — Cesar R. Torres, The Conversation, 26 May 2026
Definition of unpleasing
Adjective
  • Anne Hathaway is a leftist, woke, horrible choice for DAYS OF THUNDER NASCAR audience who are MAGA.
    — James Hibberd, HollywoodReporter, 31 Aug. 2026
  • These two rubber bands in our throat are affected by everything from hormones to psychology to a bad day to a horrible night’s sleep to the sniffles or whatever.
    — Marissa R. Moss, Rolling Stone, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of horrible
Adjective
  • In front of adoring fans in Shanghai, the UFC veteran and perennial contender in the UFC bantamweight division scored a shocking upset win over Umar Nurmagomedov in the main event on Saturday.
    — Brian Mazique, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2026
  • The August nonfarm payrolls report that releases Friday will be coming off a low set of expectations, given the shocking loss of jobs in July.
    — Sarah Min, CNBC, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of shocking

Browse Nearby Words

hideosity
hideous
hideousness
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Cite this Entry

“Hideous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hideous. Accessed 3 Sep. 2026.

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