- present participle of disgust.
disgusting
Americanadjective
adjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of disgusting
Explanation
Something disgusting is awful in a way that makes you want to throw up — it's really, really yucky. Nobody likes disgusting things. Stepping in dog poo is disgusting — in other words, revolting and gross. Some people think spiders are disgusting; others find meatloaf disgusting; it just depends on what your tastes and tolerances are. If a politician is caught taking bribes, people say "That behavior is disgusting!" If your favorite team loses 20 games in a row, that might seem disgusting. Pretty much anything horrible, terrible, or nasty can be called disgusting.
Vocabulary lists containing disgusting
Ugh! Synonyms for "Gross"
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Ugh! Synonyms for "Gross"
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
So Bad: Synonyms for "Awful"
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
LSU coach Kim Mulkey’s attitude about this is disgusting.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 29, 2026
Self-defense, the historian wrote, naturally required “the perpetual repetition” of what he called “the vainest and most disgusting of the pronouns”: the first-person singular.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 21, 2026
“Just disgusting behavior by an anonymous account,” Chuck Todd, a former Meet the Press moderator, wrote of the post that mentioned Holmes’ children.
From Slate ● Aug. 18, 2026
"Actions by those who carried out this horrific act of terror meant to intimidate and harass this family are disgusting," Huckabee wrote on X on Thursday.
From Barron's ● Aug. 17, 2026
It resembled a chunky, disgusting milk shake at this point.
From "Millionaires for the Month" by Stacey McAnulty
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.
