as in monsters
a strange or horrible and often frightening creature
a gallery of grotesques from some horror movie
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Recent Examples of grotesques
The script, by Ed Solomon, treats the Sklar siblings as cardboard grotesques—heartless, talentless, united in their loathing of a father who loathes them right back.
—
Justin Chang, New Yorker, 3 Apr. 2026
Indeed, compared with the realistically creased faces and hangdog stares of the Cubs, the Boston fans behind them are closer to grotesques, an inhuman crush of caricatures.
—Christopher Borrelli, Chicago Tribune, 10 Feb. 2026
As the agent rambles, the cameras onstage freeze Tullock’s face at unflattering moments, and the screens behind her display a series of grotesques.
—Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 16 Oct. 2025
Justin Chang, New Yorker, 3 Apr. 2026
Indeed, compared with the realistically creased faces and hangdog stares of the Cubs, the Boston fans behind them are closer to grotesques, an inhuman crush of caricatures.
—Christopher Borrelli, Chicago Tribune, 10 Feb. 2026
As the agent rambles, the cameras onstage freeze Tullock’s face at unflattering moments, and the screens behind her display a series of grotesques.
—Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 16 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for grotesques
Noun
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The nonlinear experience will feature show moments with each of the four monsters and a finale with a different ending every night.—
Brady MacDonald,
Oc Register,
3 Apr. 2026
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Explore this gallery of ghastly classic movie monsters.—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
2 Apr. 2026
Noun
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As in Pillion and elsewhere, Melling imbues a premise’s potential grotesqueries with real and specific feelings.—
Jackson McHenry,
Vulture,
20 Feb. 2026
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The abundance of these grotesqueries was almost stranger than their existence.—
Miles Klee,
Rolling Stone,
14 Dec. 2025
Noun
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As Amadeus’ brilliance continues to flourish in spite of his personal demons, a questionable reputation and scepticism from the conservative court, Salieri becomes increasingly tormented by this apparent divine gift.—
Payton Turkeltaub,
Variety,
1 Apr. 2026
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But when demons threaten to destroy the City of Immortals, her former lord Indra begs her to return—or else lose both Kaushika and her identity as an apsara.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
1 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Grotesques.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/grotesques. Accessed 7 Apr. 2026.
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