ugly

1 of 2

adjective

ug·​ly ˈə-glē How to pronounce ugly (audio)
uglier; ugliest
Synonyms of uglynext
1
a
: offensive to the sight : hideous
b
: offensive or unpleasant to any sense
2
: morally offensive or objectionable
corruption—the ugliest stain of all
3
a
: likely to cause inconvenience or discomfort
the ugly truth
b
: surly, quarrelsome
an ugly disposition
4
: frightful, dire
uglily
ˈə-glə-lē How to pronounce ugly (audio)
adverb

ugly

2 of 2

adverb

: in an ugly manner
was acting ugly

Synonyms

Adjective

See All Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus

Examples of ugly in a Sentence

Adjective an ugly shade of green They avoided what could have been an ugly situation. He has an ugly disposition.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Adjective
The 24-year-old displayed all of the good, the bad and the ugly in a 25-game stretch when called up to the majors last season when starting catcher Gabriel Moreno was injured. — Chuck Murr, Forbes, 12 Mar. 2025 Imagine the classic tale The Ugly Duckling, by Hans Christian Andersen — only, in this version, the ugly duckling doesn’t mature into a beautiful swan. — Matt Kracht, People.com, 11 Mar. 2025
Adverb
If Texas Tech gets off to a quick start, this could turn ugly quickly for the Jayhawks. — Shreyas Laddha, Kansas City Star, 1 Mar. 2025 For all the glowing up that happens in front of your bathroom mirror, figuring out how to unclog a bathroom sink can get ugly quick. — Mike Miller, Architectural Digest, 7 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for ugly

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

Middle English, from Old Norse uggligr, from uggr fear; akin to Old Norse ugga to fear

First Known Use

Adjective

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 4

Adverb

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of ugly was in the 13th century

Phrases Containing ugly

Rhymes for ugly

See All Rhymes for ugly

Browse Nearby Words

ugly
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Cite this Entry

“Ugly.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ugly. Accessed 21 Mar. 2025.

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Kids Definition

ugly

adjective
ug·​ly
ˈəg-lē
uglier; ugliest
1
: horrid or unpleasant especially to the sight : unsightly, hideous
2
: offensive entry 1 sense 3, repulsive
ugly habits
3
a
: likely to cause bother or discomfort : troublesome
an ugly situation
b
: quarrelsome
an ugly disposition
ugliness noun

More from Merriam-Webster on ugly

Nglish: Translation of ugly for Spanish Speakers

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