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
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of ugly
Lies told by people who are simply too afraid to look at such an ugly, barbarous reality.
—
Clare Malone, New Yorker, 19 Jan. 2026
This could really get ugly, and not just Michael, either.
—Kevin Sherrington, Dallas Morning News, 19 Jan. 2026
Vrabel's team advanced on Sunday with an ugly win in the divisional round of the NFL playoffs over the Houston Texans at Gillette Stadium.
—Matt Schooley, CBS News, 19 Jan. 2026
The Hawks defense hasn’t been stout in the past few games, leading to the ugly results.
—Kalen Lumpkins, Chicago Tribune, 18 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for ugly
Clare Malone, New Yorker, 19 Jan. 2026
This could really get ugly, and not just Michael, either.
—Kevin Sherrington, Dallas Morning News, 19 Jan. 2026
Vrabel's team advanced on Sunday with an ugly win in the divisional round of the NFL playoffs over the Houston Texans at Gillette Stadium.
—Matt Schooley, CBS News, 19 Jan. 2026
The Hawks defense hasn’t been stout in the past few games, leading to the ugly results.
—Kalen Lumpkins, Chicago Tribune, 18 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for ugly
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ugly
Adjective
-
Such jars of moldy fruit were probably fairly hideous to consume.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
7 Jan. 2026
-
The Rodents of Unusual Size that attack Westley in a swamp work because they are played by small men in rodent suits, rather than coolly conjured from pixels; their deliberate artifice is the thrill, and Reiner provided the voice for their hideous snorts.—
Alexandra Schwartz,
New Yorker,
17 Dec. 2025
Adjective
-
The sickening lies told about our son by the administration are reprehensible and disgusting.—
WCCO Staff,
CBS News,
24 Jan. 2026
-
Regardless, the effects are both disgusting and well-executed.—
Daniel Fienberg,
HollywoodReporter,
21 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Those artists never stopped creating scenes that captured the vibrancy—and sometimes the more grotesque side too—of places that remain world capitals today.—
Condé Nast Traveler,
Condé Nast Traveler,
7 Jan. 2026
-
The grotesque charade didn’t seem to belong to this world.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
15 Dec. 2025
Adjective
-
Pasquantino later deleted the post, likely because fans noted his expectation about the awful things the Royals could theoretically say about him.—
Pete Grathoff,
Kansas City Star,
28 Jan. 2026
-
His administration’s actions in Minneapolis have been awful.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
28 Jan. 2026
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
-
Are there horrible smells wafting around?—
Clio Chang,
Curbed,
7 Jan. 2026
-
Jimmy Kimmel was horrible, and some of these people.—
Greg Evans,
Deadline,
6 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Because these fundamental weaknesses are not reflected in the current market price, the stock maintains an unattractive risk-reward profile with a potential downside target of $95.—
Trefis Team,
Forbes.com,
26 Jan. 2026
-
One possibility was the Sorbonne in Paris but soaring property prices and recent political unrest made the French capital unattractive.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
16 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
But Pretti’s last seconds were captured from multiple angles, in sickening footage widely distributed on social media and by news organizations.—
Charlie Warzel,
The Atlantic,
25 Jan. 2026
-
The sickening lies told about our son by the administration are reprehensible and disgusting.—
WCCO Staff,
CBS News,
24 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Ugly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ugly. Accessed 30 Jan. 2026.
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