1
as in hideous
unpleasant to look at
her first attempt at painting was pretty ugly—a portrait of her sister that was not at all flattering
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in disgusting
causing intense displeasure, disgust, or resentment
an ugly suggestion for controlling the overpopulation of deer in the area
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Try This Instead
Try This InsteadFor
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an ugly scar
an ugly scene
an ugly truth
an ugly word
an ugly picture
an unattractive picture
an unlovely picture
an unpleasant picture
an unappealing picture
a hideous picture
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of ugly
Jurassic World is, in many ways, the reboot phenomenon at its worst: cynical, cheap, sort of ugly, and dumbed down in a way that had to have made Spielberg secretly groan.
—
Tim Grierson, Vulture, 3 July 2025
The Yankees battled back in a game that could’ve been conceded early after Warren’s ugly start.
—Fiifi Frimpong, New York Daily News, 3 July 2025
Shane Beamer and Lamont Paris, South Carolina Beamer’s breakout season in 2024 was tempered somewhat with an ugly bowl loss to Illinois.
—Matt Hayes, The Tennessean, 2 July 2025
Deeply distrustful, the protest organizers feared that outside provocateurs would turn peaceful demonstrations ugly.
—Michael Barnes, Austin American Statesman, 2 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for ugly
Tim Grierson, Vulture, 3 July 2025
The Yankees battled back in a game that could’ve been conceded early after Warren’s ugly start.
—Fiifi Frimpong, New York Daily News, 3 July 2025
Shane Beamer and Lamont Paris, South Carolina Beamer’s breakout season in 2024 was tempered somewhat with an ugly bowl loss to Illinois.
—Matt Hayes, The Tennessean, 2 July 2025
Deeply distrustful, the protest organizers feared that outside provocateurs would turn peaceful demonstrations ugly.
—Michael Barnes, Austin American Statesman, 2 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for ugly
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ugly
Adjective
-
One function of bug poems is to remind us that messier and more hideous relations always obtain.—
Hannah Brooks-Motl
June 2,
Literary Hub,
2 June 2025
-
An alarming situation looked all the more hideous as boos rained down at Dodger Stadium for the club’s fourth straight loss.—
Fabian Ardaya,
New York Times,
20 May 2025
Adjective
-
Danny DeVito, who plays the hilarious and disgusting Frank Reynolds on Always Sunny, used to be married to a fellow comedy legend, Rhea Perlman.—
Allison DeGrushe Published,
EW.com,
9 July 2025
-
July 7, 2025 Homa included another message from a fan that is far too disgusting to even reiterate.—
Kendall Capps,
MSNBC Newsweek,
8 July 2025
Adjective
-
In the early 1900s, long before smartphones and selfie sticks, tourists flocked to Yellowstone National Park — not for the geysers or scenery, but for a grotesque show: A nightly spectacle of grizzly bears raiding cafeteria scraps from open-pit landfills like desperate, starving pirates.—
Christine Peterson,
Vox,
27 June 2025
-
The world is cruel, unfair and full of horrors, many of which will grow increasingly grotesque in our lifetimes.—
Aramide Tinubu,
Variety,
27 June 2025
Adjective
-
However, the idea that Gunn was going to make an awful Superman movie does not match up with his history of comic book productions across Marvel and DC.—
Paul Tassi,
Forbes.com,
7 July 2025
-
This has been an awful process—a frantic rush to meet an artificial deadline that has tested every limit of this institution.—
Aliss Higham,
MSNBC Newsweek,
7 July 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
Adjective
-
To be able to say that so many writers have been meaningful to you is not a horrible thing.—
John Warner,
Chicago Tribune,
28 June 2025
-
If Flagg develops into the human triple double who leads the team to the Western Conference Finals and NBA Finals in his first six years, the trade can be called not a horrible deal.—
Mac Engel,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
26 June 2025
Adjective
-
There are a few family members who only wear olive, mustard, khaki, black and other dull colors; clunky, unattractive shoes; and few accessories.—
Judith Martin,
Mercury News,
28 June 2025
-
As shown, the new stadium is simple, unimposing and not unattractive.—
Edward Keegan,
Chicago Tribune,
25 June 2025
Adjective
-
Also sickening is Aja, transforming from cocoon to butterfly — unfortunately, Jasmine Masters will see her in court.—
Chris Feil,
Vulture,
4 July 2025
-
The portal that allows the players to go from school to school is also sickening.—
Reader Commentary,
Baltimore Sun,
9 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Ugly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ugly. Accessed 15 Jul. 2025.
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