eyesore
Americannoun
noun
Etymology
Origin of eyesore
Middle English word dating back to 1250–1300; see origin at eye, sore
Explanation
Something that's really unpleasant to look at is an eyesore. You could call your apartment building an eyesore if it's a huge, ugly concrete structure that looms over your street. Most eyesores are structures or buildings — an old, decrepit house that's sagging on one side and has a yard full of weeds is probably thought of as an eyesore by most of its neighbors. You might also describe a new hotel as an eyesore if it's painted a strange shade of pink that clashes with the buildings nearby. The word eyesore has been around since the 1500's, from the idea of "something so offensive to the eye that it hurts."
Vocabulary lists containing eyesore
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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.
However, Michael McNally said the current building was "a bit of an eyesore".
From BBC • Jun. 1, 2026
Downtown Los Angeles’ infamous eyesore is one step closer to being cleaned out.
From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 5, 2026
The community -- which has long caught the eye of writers, travellers and NGOs but is seen as an eyesore by the government -- faced similar demolitions in 2005 and 2012.
From Barron's • Jan. 16, 2026
Spending $8,000 to repave it does seem like a lot of money up front, but perhaps the reason your agent is pushing for this update is that it’s kind of an eyesore.
From MarketWatch • Oct. 13, 2025
Grigori’s words passed through my head: An eyesore of rotten wood, stacked haphazardly, without taste or culture.
From "The City Beautiful" by Aden Polydoros
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.
