| English Dictionary |
UGLY (uglier, ugliest)
| Pronunciation (US): |  | (GB): | |
| IPA (US): |  |
, ugliest Dictionary entry overview: What does ugly mean?
• UGLY (adjective)
The adjective UGLY has 4 senses:
1. displeasing to the senses
2. inclined to anger or bad feelings with overtones of menace
3. morally reprehensible
4. provoking horror
Familiarity information: UGLY used as an adjective is uncommon.
Dictionary entry details
| Declension: comparative and superlative |
Superlative: ugliest
Sense 1
Meaning:
Displeasing to the senses
Context example:
ugly furniture
Similar:
disfigured (having the appearance spoiled)
evil-looking (having an evil appearance)
fugly ((slang) extremely ugly)
grotesque; monstrous (distorted and unnatural in shape or size; abnormal and hideous)
hideous; repulsive (so extremely ugly as to be terrifying)
ill-favored; ill-favoured (usually used of a face)
scrofulous (having a diseased appearance resembling scrofula)
unlovely; unpicturesque (without beauty or charm)
unsightly (unpleasant to look at)
Also:
unattractive (lacking beauty or charm)
awkward (lacking grace or skill in manner or movement or performance)
displeasing (causing displeasure or lacking pleasing qualities)
Attribute:
beauty (the qualities that give pleasure to the senses)
Antonym:
beautiful (delighting the senses or exciting intellectual or emotional admiration)
Derivation:
ugliness (qualities of appearance that do not give pleasure to the senses)
Sense 2
Meaning:
Inclined to anger or bad feelings with overtones of menace
Synonyms:
surly; ugly
Context example:
an ugly frame of mind
Similar:
ill-natured (having an irritable and unpleasant disposition)
Sense 3
Meaning:
Morally reprehensible
Synonyms:
despicable; slimy; ugly; unworthy; vile; worthless; wretched
Context example:
a slimy little liar
Similar:
evil (morally bad or wrong)
Derivation:
ugliness (the quality of being wicked)
Sense 4
Meaning:
Provoking horror
Synonyms:
atrocious; frightful; horrible; horrifying; ugly
Context example:
an ugly wound
Similar:
alarming (frightening because of an awareness of danger)
Context examples
His eyes, as he looked at me, seemed to take every shade of colour that could make eyes ugly.
(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)
Yes, she would say, looking in the glass, I'm getting old and ugly.
(Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott)
The other drawings pleased her much, but she called that "an ugly man."
(Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Brontë)
“It had an ugly sound,” I answered.
(The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)
It may be black, abnormal, or "ugly looking."
(Melanoma, NIH: National Cancer Institute)
“That’s ugly, nephew,” said my uncle, when we were flying onwards towards Reigate.
(Rodney Stone, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)
Mon Dieu! you cannot conceive to yourself how ugly they are!
(The White Company, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)
You would hardly forget it, would you, sir, for I’ve seldom seen an uglier.
(The Return of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)
But he is an ugly fellow!
(Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen)
The great spider was lying asleep when the Lion found him, and it looked so ugly that its foe turned up his nose in disgust.
(The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, by L. Frank Baum)
| Learn English with... Proverbs |
"A person is known by the company he keeps." (Bulgarian proverb)
"The arrogant army will lose the battle for sure." (Chinese proverb)
"The maquis has no eyes, but it sees all." (Corsican proverb)