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 Three seconds later, I was surrounded by hideous monsters who were probably nice kids before the local NBC news devoted the feature story on their prime-time show Weekend to an in-depth study of English punk. — Daniel Kreps, Rolling Stone, 11 Sep. 2026 These flashbacks betray where writer-director-cinematographer-editor Tsukamoto’s filmmaking interests really lie, which is in the gruesome recreation of hideous acts of barbarism and cruelty. — Jessica Kiang, Variety, 5 Sep. 2026 At this point in the operation, even formerly adorable homes begin to look hideous. — Nicola Twilley, New Yorker, 27 Aug. 2026 Illiteracy, and its centuries-long ongoing epidemic, is hideous. — Liza Lentini, SPIN, 21 July 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 league and its players’ union are heading for an ugly fight, years in the making.
    — Kurt Badenhausen, Sportico.com, 28 Oct. 2026
  • Cooling plates manage heat during normal operation, while passive barriers and electrical isolation are designed to contain the ugly edge cases that Beta’s testing process intentionally triggers.
    — IEEE Spectrum, IEEE Spectrum, 28 Oct. 2026
Definition of ugly
Adjective
  • Thunder star Jalen Williams, the team’s second-leading scorer and best all-around defender during its title run two seasons ago, fractured a fibula and dislocated his left ankle in a gruesome injury Sunday.
    — Andrew Greif, NBC news, 29 Oct. 2026
  • Rescue workers continue to search in the wreckage for survivors and bodies, with witnesses describing a gruesome scene.
    — Anders Hagstrom, FOXNews.com, 28 Oct. 2026
Definition of gruesome
Adjective
  • The idea shows up in mythology—from Zeus transforming into every kind of animal to commit adultery to Psyche being warned that her new husband, Eros, would be grotesque—as well as in folklore and countless retellings of Beauty and the Beast.
    — Janelle Okwodu, Vogue, 26 Oct. 2026
  • The bell, sans artist, continues to mark the passage of time, ringing every hour over the pavilion and its guests, a grotesque altar to the ongoing Venetian apocalypse.
    — Tessa Solomon, ARTnews.com, 21 Oct. 2026
Definition of grotesque
Adjective
  • Not only has the gimmick run stale, but her insistence on upping the ante year after year, creating costumes that are increasingly bizarre and disgusting, is a threat to us all.
    — Tom Smyth, Vulture, 29 Oct. 2026
  • The actions of their fans, especially their supporter group, was disgusting.
    — Jon Root OutKick, FOXNews.com, 24 Oct. 2026
Definition of disgusting
Adjective
  • The battle is between that horrible atmosphere and some of the horrific candidates that have been nominated by the Democratic Party.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 25 Oct. 2026
  • The plot is carried out to horrific proportions, but the subjects are so utterly moronic that the gag stops being amusing.
    — Frank Scheck, HollywoodReporter, 22 Oct. 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
  • In most versions of the Greek mythology, Medusa is a beautiful woman that was cursed by the goddess Athena with a head of snakes instead of hair and the horrible ability to turn people to stone with just one look.
    — Lynsey Eidell, Glamour, 26 Oct. 2026
  • The battle is between that horrible atmosphere and some of the horrific candidates that have been nominated by the Democratic Party.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 25 Oct. 2026
Definition of horrible
Adjective
  • In 2017, McDowell suffered another shocking loss when Paxton died following heart surgery.
    — Seth Abramovitch, HollywoodReporter, 29 Oct. 2026
  • The project follows Anna, who races to conceal the shocking truth about her best friend’s death on the night of her 21st birthday.
    — Max Goldbart, Deadline, 28 Oct. 2026
Definition of shocking

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Cite this Entry

“Hideous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hideous. Accessed 31 Oct. 2026.

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