grotesque
Americanadjective
noun
adjective
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strangely or fantastically distorted; bizarre
a grotesque reflection in the mirror
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of or characteristic of the grotesque in art
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absurdly incongruous; in a ludicrous context
a grotesque turn of phrase
noun
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a 16th-century decorative style in which parts of human, animal, and plant forms are distorted and mixed
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a decorative device, as in painting or sculpture, in this style
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printing the family of 19th-century sans serif display types
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any grotesque person or thing
Related Words
See bizarre.
Other Word Forms
- grotesquely adverb
- grotesqueness noun
- ungrotesque adjective
Etymology
Origin of grotesque
First recorded in 1555–65; from French, from Italian grottesca (from pittura grottesca, opera grottesca “grotesque painting, decoration” such as was apparently found in excavated buildings), the feminine of grottesco “grotesque, uncouth,” derivative of grotta “cave.” See grotto, -esque
Compare meaning
How does grotesque compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:
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.
David Plotz: What is a story about the family and the family dynamics that most shocked you, that seemed most grotesque when you told your wife about it?
From Slate • Mar. 21, 2026
"I don't think there is anything to celebrate. It seems like a pretty grotesque situation to me," said 26-year-old Carmen Ponce, whose brother Victor Hugo was disappeared in 2020.
From Barron's • Feb. 24, 2026
The former’s pulsing soundtrack tears apart “Little Nemo’s” enchanting dream logic, shattering the illusion that Nemo — despite its virtuosic rendering — can be so cleanly distinguished from its accompanying grotesque depictions.
From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 3, 2026
What makes this moment especially grotesque is the hypocrisy.
From Salon • Jan. 17, 2026
Nine fearsome, ugly, half-naked, fifty-feet-long brutes lay sprawled over the ground in various grotesque attitudes of sleep, and the sound of their snoring was indeed like gunfire in a battle.
From "The BFG" by Roald Dahl
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.
