ugly

[ uhg-lee ]

See synonyms for ugly on Thesaurus.com

adjective,ug·li·er, ug·li·est.

very unattractive or unpleasant to look at; offensive to the sense of beauty; displeasing in appearance.
disagreeable; unpleasant; objectionable: ugly tricks;ugly discords.

morally revolting: ugly crime.
threatening trouble or danger: ugly symptoms.
mean; hostile; quarrelsome: an ugly mood;an ugly frame of mind.
(especially of natural phenomena) unpleasant or dangerous: ugly weather;an ugly sea.

Origin of ugly

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

Other words for ugly

1	ill-favored, hard-featured, uncomely, unsightly, unlovely, homely
3	base, heinous, vile, monstrous, corrupt
4	disadvantageous, ominous
5	surly, spiteful
6	stormy, tempestuous

See synonyms for ugly on Thesaurus.com

Opposites for ugly

beautiful

See antonyms for ugly on Thesaurus.com

Other words from ugly

ug·li·ly, adverb
ug·li·ness, noun
su·per·ug·ly, adjective

Words Nearby ugly

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use ugly in a sentence

Some longtime local acquaintances are struggling to square the man they know with the ugly associations.
No. 3 Republican Admits Talking to White Supremacist Conference | Tim Mak | December 30, 2014 | THE DAILY BEAST
Of those, 1,980 used the term “cute”, while just 12 mentioned the word “ugly”.
The Adorable New Prince George Photos | Tom Sykes | December 15, 2014 | THE DAILY BEAST
Two seasons ago, the show killed off its main romantic interest, Matthew Crawley, in an ugly car accident.
‘The Walking Dead’ Fans Demand: Bring Back Beth! | Melissa Leon | December 11, 2014 | THE DAILY BEAST
How could you take such ugly pictures of a beautiful place?
From Fashion Player to Photographer Monk | Nina Strochlic | December 3, 2014 | THE DAILY BEAST
After mom cries out in anguish and frustration on hearing the verdict, the ugly side of the protests rears its head.
Michael Brown’s Stepfather Tells Crowd, ‘Burn This Bitch Down’ | Jack Holmes, The Daily Beast Video | November 25, 2014 | THE DAILY BEAST

A gentleman expatiating upon the good looks of women, declared that he had never yet seen an ugly woman.
The Book of Anecdotes and Budget of Fun; | Various
One Turkish Company, about a hundred strong, was making an ugly push within rifle shot of our ship.
Gallipoli Diary, Volume I | Ian Hamilton
She looked Mariequita up and down, from her ugly brown toes to her pretty black eyes, and back again.
The Awakening and Selected Short Stories | Kate Chopin
I was perfectly amazed to see how many little ugly habits I had to correct of which I had not been the least aware.
Music-Study in Germany | Amy Fay
He would at once become stubborn and ugly, because he is not used to our quick, nervous, impatient ways.
Alila, Our Little Philippine Cousin | Mary Hazelton Wade

British Dictionary definitions for ugly

ugly

/ (ˈʌɡlɪ) /

adjective-lier or -liest

of unpleasant or unsightly appearance
repulsive, objectionable, or displeasing in any way: war is ugly

ominous or menacing: an ugly situation
bad-tempered, angry, or sullen: an ugly mood

Origin of ugly

C13: from Old Norse uggligr dreadful, from ugga fear

Derived forms of ugly

uglily, adverb
ugliness, noun

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

Other Idioms and Phrases with ugly

ugly

In addition to the idioms beginning with ugly

ugly as sin
ugly customer
ugly duckling

also see:

rear its ugly head

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