as in ugly
unpleasant to look at
along with thousands of other people, we entered our beloved pooch in a contest to find the homeliest dog in the country
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Recent Examples of homely
That it might be called a ‘doorstop’ is the kind of homely, conventional joke that would be more likely to amuse, rather than offend, Heaney’s many-minded imagination.
—
Literary Hub, 20 Nov. 2025
The nightingale glanced at her small and homely child in mild surprise, as did the page.
—Hazlitt, 19 Nov. 2025
With pale, irregular surfaces dotted with black bits of char, the homely slabs aren’t much to look at, but the first bite packs a big smoky punch that only grows with each subsequent chew.
—Robert F. Moss, Southern Living, 17 Sep. 2025
Conjure the homely, heart-warming elements of the season and take inspiration from nature with Taupe 03 Soho Roc House by Lick.
—Emily Williams, Better Homes & Gardens, 12 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for homely
Literary Hub, 20 Nov. 2025
The nightingale glanced at her small and homely child in mild surprise, as did the page.
—Hazlitt, 19 Nov. 2025
With pale, irregular surfaces dotted with black bits of char, the homely slabs aren’t much to look at, but the first bite packs a big smoky punch that only grows with each subsequent chew.
—Robert F. Moss, Southern Living, 17 Sep. 2025
Conjure the homely, heart-warming elements of the season and take inspiration from nature with Taupe 03 Soho Roc House by Lick.
—Emily Williams, Better Homes & Gardens, 12 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for homely
Recent Examples of Synonyms for homely
Adjective
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From Valentino pig hoofs to Chanel half-sandals, our feeds are full of silly, outrageous and outright ugly footwear.—
Shane O’Neill,
Washington Post,
12 June 2026
-
Still, the settlement agreement bars either side from appealing Liman’s ruling, potentially drawing one of Hollywood’s ugliest recent legal fights to a close.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
12 June 2026
Adjective
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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
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Usually a team of elegant offense, Michigan instead clanked 13 triples off the rim and relied on its inside defensive ferocity to win a game nearly as aesthetically unpleasing as UConn’s 53-41 win over Butler in 2011.—
Dana O’Neil,
CNN Money,
7 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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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
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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,
Literary Hub,
3 June 2026
Adjective
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The final Scary Movie trailer opens with a fittingly grotesque send-up of Terrifier, the ultra-bloody, low-budget clown slasher that's built a cult following.—
Ryan Coleman,
Entertainment Weekly,
5 June 2026
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The contemporary entertainment industry pushes that logic into nearly grotesque territory, as film and TV productions compete against 24/7 internet feeds and a rapidly changing meme dialect designed to always leave someone out of the loop.—
Alison Foreman,
IndieWire,
31 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Homely.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/homely. Accessed 20 Jun. 2026.
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