1
as in loud
disagreeable to one's aesthetic or artistic sense
the gaudy, overdecorated interior of the gambling casino was just too grotesque for my taste
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in ugly
unpleasant to look at
that bloody Halloween mask is grotesque
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in monster
a strange or horrible and often frightening creature
a gallery of grotesques from some horror movie
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of grotesque
Jenn Rice, Vogue, 18 Mar. 2026
But the pandemic also exposed the grotesque unfairness of our economy and society in deeply personal ways, cutting across the red-blue divide.
—George Packer, The Atlantic, 16 Mar. 2026
Marcus Jones, IndieWire, 12 Nov. 2025
More recently, the trend has leaned even more surreal, even into the grotesque.
—Emily Johnson, Architectural Digest, 18 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for grotesque
Adjective
Via Mormino Penna is one of Sicily’s most theatrical streetscapes, lined with facades adorned with apotropaic masks, grotesque faces meant to ward off evil.
—Jenn Rice, Vogue, 18 Mar. 2026
But the pandemic also exposed the grotesque unfairness of our economy and society in deeply personal ways, cutting across the red-blue divide.
—George Packer, The Atlantic, 16 Mar. 2026
Noun
Their creative collaboration, taking inspiration from ivory anatomy figures to settle on a look that balances the beauty with the grotesque, is an achievement that has more than made the 10 hours in the makeup chair each day worth it.
—Marcus Jones, IndieWire, 12 Nov. 2025
More recently, the trend has leaned even more surreal, even into the grotesque.
—Emily Johnson, Architectural Digest, 18 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for grotesque
Recent Examples of Synonyms for grotesque
Adjective
-
Sometimes the world is just too busy and loud!—
Tarot.com,
Baltimore Sun,
4 Apr. 2026
-
Like tens of thousands across the country, Steve Kerr is a loud and proud supporter of his alma mater during March Madness.—
Joseph Dycus,
Mercury News,
3 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
The outcome was already decided – an ugly display of basketball that was never competitive – but potentially losing Doncic proverbially sucked the oxygen out of the visitors’ locker room after the game.—
Benjamin Royer,
Oc Register,
3 Apr. 2026
-
Featuring the good, the bad and the ugly, ‘Look of the Week’ is a regular series dedicated to unpacking the most talked about outfit of the last seven days.—
Rachel Tashjian,
CNN Money,
3 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
In Nuremberg,Göring is closer to a sad clown than to a monster.—
Alice Kaplan,
The New York Review of Books,
4 Apr. 2026
-
For the non-Nintendo among us, Bowser is Mario’s enemy, a fire-breathing monster and leader of the Koops.—
Dewayne Bevil,
The Orlando Sentinel,
3 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
His team, which includes his advisor Atsushi Shirane and Masaya Miyahara of Japan’s High Energy Accelerator Research Organization (KEK), is aiming to develop a wireless system for controlling robots in this harsh environment.—
Katherine Bourzac,
IEEE Spectrum,
2 Apr. 2026
-
Items that are wind-resistant and waterproof will be good for use in many harsh weather conditions in which the user would need protection.—
BestReviews,
Chicago Tribune,
2 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
The noise is hideous, but the pollution is much worse.—
Patt Morrison,
Los Angeles Times,
26 Mar. 2026
-
But once, my roommate had hung this hideous rack of dusty old spices above the stove.—
Alyse Whitney,
Saveur,
25 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
The most jarring example of this has been in the heart of Silicon Valley itself.—
Sumeet Vaidya,
Fortune,
3 Apr. 2026
-
Clunky transmissions, a jarring ride, and glacial progress.—
Simon de Burton,
Robb Report,
1 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Rosemary makes one of the best companion plants for apple trees because of its strong scent that's unpleasing to critters looking to snack on a juicy red apple.—
Ashlyn Needham,
The Spruce,
16 Feb. 2026
-
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
Adjective
-
Living under an openly misogynistic president may have felt freakish in 2017, but by his second term, bigotry became yet another disgusting norm.—
Ben Travers,
IndieWire,
2 Apr. 2026
-
The amount of disrespect shown the Broncos is disgusting.—
Troy Renck,
Denver Post,
27 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Grotesque.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/grotesque. Accessed 5 Apr. 2026.
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