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View synonyms for ugly

ugly

[ uhg-lee ]

adjective

, ug·li·er, ug·li·est.
  1. very unattractive or unpleasant to look at; offensive to the sense of beauty; displeasing in appearance.

    Synonyms: uncomely, homely, unlovely, unsightly, hard-featured, ill-favored

    Antonyms: beautiful

  2. disagreeable; unpleasant; objectionable:

    ugly tricks;

    ugly discords.

  3. morally revolting:

    ugly crime.

    Synonyms: corrupt, monstrous, vile, heinous, base

  4. threatening trouble or danger:

    ugly symptoms.

    Synonyms: ominous, disadvantageous

  5. mean; hostile; quarrelsome:

    an ugly mood;

    an ugly frame of mind.

    Synonyms: spiteful, surly

  6. (especially of natural phenomena) unpleasant or dangerous:

    ugly weather;

    an ugly sea.

    Synonyms: tempestuous, stormy



ugly

/ ˈʌɡlɪ /

adjective

  1. of unpleasant or unsightly appearance
  2. repulsive, objectionable, or displeasing in any way

    war is ugly

  3. ominous or menacing

    an ugly situation

  4. bad-tempered, angry, or sullen

    an ugly mood

“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012


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Derived Forms

  • ˈuglily, adverb
  • ˈugliness, noun
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Other Words From

  • ugli·ly adverb
  • ugli·ness noun
  • super·ugly adjective
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Word History and Origins

Origin of ugly1

First recorded in 1200–50; Middle English ugly, uglike, from Old Norse uggligr “fearful, dreadful,” equivalent to ugg(r) “fear” + -ligr -ly
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Word History and Origins

Origin of ugly1

C13: from Old Norse uggligr dreadful, from ugga fear
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Idioms and Phrases

  • rear its ugly head
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Example Sentences

Some longtime local acquaintances are struggling to square the man they know with the ugly associations.

Of those, 1,980 used the term “cute”, while just 12 mentioned the word “ugly”.

Two seasons ago, the show killed off its main romantic interest, Matthew Crawley, in an ugly car accident.

How could you take such ugly pictures of a beautiful place?

After mom cries out in anguish and frustration on hearing the verdict, the ugly side of the protests rears its head.

A gentleman expatiating upon the good looks of women, declared that he had never yet seen an ugly woman.

One Turkish Company, about a hundred strong, was making an ugly push within rifle shot of our ship.

She looked Mariequita up and down, from her ugly brown toes to her pretty black eyes, and back again.

I was perfectly amazed to see how many little ugly habits I had to correct of which I had not been the least aware.

He would at once become stubborn and ugly, because he is not used to our quick, nervous, impatient ways.

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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.

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uglifyUgly American