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
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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
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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
For all the triumphalism, for all the talk about an imminent golden age, Israel’s future is still shadowed by the ugly persistence of occupation, the long and bitter memory of its enemies, and the deepening moral cost of Gaza.
—
David Remnick, New Yorker, 28 July 2025
Finally, even the handsome Odysseus is made ugly and scary-looking by exposure to the sun and salt of the sea.
—Marie-Claire Beaulieu, The Conversation, 28 July 2025
There are no ugly arguments, no teammate backbiting, no late-night moments of despair.
—Arkansas Online, 24 July 2025
In 1965 Martin got into an ugly battle with President Lyndon B. Johnson.
—Steve Forbes, Forbes.com, 21 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for ugly
David Remnick, New Yorker, 28 July 2025
Finally, even the handsome Odysseus is made ugly and scary-looking by exposure to the sun and salt of the sea.
—Marie-Claire Beaulieu, The Conversation, 28 July 2025
There are no ugly arguments, no teammate backbiting, no late-night moments of despair.
—Arkansas Online, 24 July 2025
In 1965 Martin got into an ugly battle with President Lyndon B. Johnson.
—Steve Forbes, Forbes.com, 21 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for ugly
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ugly
Adjective
-
Luthor combats Superman through a combination of science and technology — injecting nanobot GPS trackers into Superman’s bloodstream — using methods that recall the hideous Covid manipulation.—
Armond White,
National Review,
11 July 2025
-
The dark edge in Bushnell’s writing reflects less a brave new world than a world that is the hideous extension of the old one.—
Alice Bolin
June 23,
Literary Hub,
23 June 2025
Adjective
-
This disgusting breach of civil rights against students will not stand.—
Hannah Parry,
MSNBC Newsweek,
29 July 2025
-
There are explosions, too, and lots of NSFW supe antics, like one unidentified supe hacking up a disgusting ball of...something from her throat that splatters on Kimiko's cheek.—
EW.com,
EW.com,
26 July 2025
Adjective
-
But, extreme wealth is a symptom of extreme inequality, and billionaire status is kind of grotesque.—
Megan Cartwright,
MSNBC Newsweek,
25 July 2025
-
Earlier today, a new post from Elmo was shared expressing his gratitude following the grotesque incident.—
Armando Tinoco,
Deadline,
15 July 2025
Adjective
-
That said, The Magician of Tiger Castle did initially start out as a YA romcom about Princess Tullia escaping her betrothal to the neighboring kingdom’s awful prince.—
Natalie Zutter
August 1,
Literary Hub,
1 Aug. 2025
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The first breach was awful: humiliating for the women who had to see their images passed around, and grim given the number of men making fun of those images with such open, gleeful cruelty.—
Faith Hill,
The Atlantic,
30 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
-
Because of Denise Gough's human frailty as a woman destroyed by her own ambition and Kyle Soller's cowardice in the face of a horrible truth.—
Maureen Lee Lenker,
EW.com,
23 July 2025
-
Soak up the gall of losing, absorb the horrible information, feel it to the full, go there—and then rebound, with superb elasticity.—
James Parker,
The Atlantic,
22 July 2025
Adjective
-
And the most unattractive thing in the world to me is a quitter.—
EW.com,
EW.com,
30 July 2025
-
On the one end, minimalist-verging-on-monastic versions of adult rooms, where everything is beige and unattractive toys are not allowed.—
Elly Leavitt,
Vogue,
28 July 2025
Adjective
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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
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Especially when his head gave a sickening whirl, blackening for a second, and his limbs seized again.—
Ingrid Vasquez,
People.com,
24 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Ugly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ugly. Accessed 6 Aug. 2025.
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