uglier; ugliest
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
: in an ugly manner
was acting ugly
Synonyms
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
Shea Simmons, People.com, 12 Dec. 2024
In a Hungarian cartoon from around 1951, Churchill is seen as an ugly villain, ready to set households and factories on fire.
—Ella Feldman, Smithsonian Magazine, 12 Dec. 2024
Ross Terrell, Axios, 2 Dec. 2024
But Gil was the main culprit thanks to an uneven night that turned ugly late, giving up two hits, including a fifth-inning two-run blast from No. 9 hitter Will Benson.
—Brendan Kuty, The Athletic, 2 July 2024
See all Example Sentences for ugly 
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
For many people, finding the perfect ugly Christmas sweater is an annual tradition.
—Shea Simmons, People.com, 12 Dec. 2024
In a Hungarian cartoon from around 1951, Churchill is seen as an ugly villain, ready to set households and factories on fire.
—Ella Feldman, Smithsonian Magazine, 12 Dec. 2024
Adverb
Georgia beat the Longhorns 30-15 in Austin earlier this year in a game that turned ugly toward the end as fans threw trash on the field after a controversial call by referees.
—Ross Terrell, Axios, 2 Dec. 2024
But Gil was the main culprit thanks to an uneven night that turned ugly late, giving up two hits, including a fifth-inning two-run blast from No. 9 hitter Will Benson.
—Brendan Kuty, The Athletic, 2 July 2024
See all Example Sentences for ugly
Articles Related to ugly
Dictionary Entries Near ugly
Cite this Entry
“Ugly.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ugly. Accessed 22 Dec. 2024.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share