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
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 ugly
The game took an ugly turn for the Angels in the sixth, when reliever Brock Burke sailed a throw six feet over first baseman Oswald Peraza’s head on Thomas’s inning-opening comebacker, an error that led to an unearned run and a 9-1 A’s lead.
—
Mike Digiovanna, Oc Register, 7 Sep. 2025
That number turned even uglier when the Cubs tagged him for five runs in the opening inning, highlighted by Swanson’s three-run shot into the left-field seats, his 22nd of the season.
—Jeff Vorva, Chicago Tribune, 6 Sep. 2025
Even in spite of the ugly headlines early in the second quarter, many retirement savers didn't give into panic and hit the brakes.
—Susan Tompor, Freep.com, 4 Sep. 2025
As the cracks in their partnership deepen, each begins to see qualities in the other—ugly ones—that had previously remained hidden.
—Stephanie Zacharek, Time, 4 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for ugly
Mike Digiovanna, Oc Register, 7 Sep. 2025
That number turned even uglier when the Cubs tagged him for five runs in the opening inning, highlighted by Swanson’s three-run shot into the left-field seats, his 22nd of the season.
—Jeff Vorva, Chicago Tribune, 6 Sep. 2025
Even in spite of the ugly headlines early in the second quarter, many retirement savers didn't give into panic and hit the brakes.
—Susan Tompor, Freep.com, 4 Sep. 2025
As the cracks in their partnership deepen, each begins to see qualities in the other—ugly ones—that had previously remained hidden.
—Stephanie Zacharek, Time, 4 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for ugly
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ugly
Adjective
-
Hart was short, with a hideous combover.—
Anne Thompson,
IndieWire,
30 Aug. 2025
-
That hideous incentive triggered My Lai and other similarly heinous attacks.—
Matthew Carey,
Deadline,
29 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
And putting it on her fingers and in your babies mouth is disgusting.—
Ashley Vega,
PEOPLE,
5 Sep. 2025
-
Because there are more aliens aboard the Maginot than just a Xenomorph, Hawley adds a few new wrinkles to the usual disgusting Alien progression of face-hugger to chest-burster.—
Noel Murray,
Vulture,
3 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
His recreation of the older, controlling Jim, with a grotesque combover, was so spot-on that those who had interacted with the real person didn't want to be near him.—
Esther Zuckerman,
Time,
6 Sep. 2025
-
More recently, from 2013 to 2014, Gardin documented the destructive transit of cruise ships through Venice’s delicate canals—a grotesque symbol for the domination of the city, and the country, by tourism and big business.—
Max Norman,
New Yorker,
6 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
But one other thing Reclaim does is show just how awful the Portal system is.—
Paul Tassi,
Forbes.com,
10 Sep. 2025
-
How the Dolphins grow from such an awful performance will be paramount.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
8 Sep. 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
-
The horrible accident — later determined to be caused by pilot error — remains the deadliest plane crash in Charlotte history.—
Scott Fowler,
Charlotte Observer,
10 Sep. 2025
-
But then came a horrible deep-ball attempt intended for Stefon Diggs that Isaiah Pola-Mao intercepted.—
Steve Buckley,
New York Times,
8 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
An office tower may look unattractive on paper because vacancy is high, but a closer look could reveal that the property sits in a desirable submarket poised for growth, or that new infrastructure, universities or medical centers are about to create long-term tenants.—
Jack Mullen,
Forbes.com,
11 Sep. 2025
-
Trump has long said wind power turbines are unattractive and endanger birds, and that solar installations take up too much land.—
Spencer Kimball,
CNBC,
24 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
One newspaper here calling the summit, sickening, shameful, and, in the end, useless.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
17 Aug. 2025
-
The practice is one of a sickening array of battlefield mistreatments recorded on video either by Ukrainian surveillance drones or Russian servicemen and then circulated on social media.—
Andrew Carey,
CNN Money,
28 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Ugly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ugly. Accessed 12 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share