Synonyms: Gross

Whether you're describing a horrific monster, a tragic outfit, or your aunt's awful curtains, these words cover every sort of unattractive thing. For more synonym lists, explore our Say What You Mean resources.
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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. appalling
    causing shock, dismay, or horror
    The appalling broad orange-and-green check of the jacket and trousers almost blinded the onlooker. Matilda
    In Old French, appallir means "to make pale" or "to waste away." If something is so unappealing that you feel faint, that's appalling.
  2. disgusting
    highly offensive
    The Standard Three classroom was missing an entire wall, and the latrines were not only disgusting but dangerous. The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind
  3. frightful
    provoking horror
    My dreams were frightful, full of ghostly figures that resembled my father. Ophelia
  4. grisly
    shockingly repellent; inspiring horror
    A grisly pale thing with black fingers, it was, that twitched and stirred in its jar as if it were still alive. A Clash of Kings
    Grisly describes something horrifically disgusting, like a zombie. It comes from the Old English grísan, meaning "to shudder with fear."
  5. grotesque
    distorted and unnatural in shape or size
    The worst of it was my mouth, a grotesque blob of purple and red, all bruise and stitches. The Kite Runner
    English borrowed the Italian word grotto to describe a small, often man-made, cave. In Renaissance Italy, palaces often featured grottoes as part of their elaborate landscaping, and statues of monsters were often installed there. So any creepy, misshapen, goblin-type creature can be called grotesque.
  6. hideous
    grossly offensive to decency or morality; causing horror
    With a shock he saw Mr. Grin standing in the hallway, looking hideous with his white face, his ginger hair, and his mauve twisted smile. Stormbreaker
  7. horrendous
    causing fear or dread or terror
    "The only thing that soothes the horrendous pain is listening to music." The Westing Game
    Horrendus is Latin for "dreadful " or "horrible." It's also the root of horror and horrid.
  8. horrid
    grossly offensive to decency or morality
    I fell to my knees, overcome by the horrid stench. In the Time of the Butterflies
  9. loathsome
    highly offensive; arousing aversion or disgust
    Thick and clammy air embraced me like the fingers of some loathsome toad. Crispin: The Cross of Lead
    To loathe something is to despise it. Something loathsome is so ugly or offensive that it inspires hatred.
  10. misshapen
    so badly formed or distorted as to be ugly
    The earthen ghosts closed in - a sea of misshapen faces with hollow eyes. Blood of Olympus
  11. monstrous
    distorted and unnatural in shape or size
    The monstrous creature picked her way down from the top of the web-covered statue. The Mark of Athena
  12. offensive
    unpleasant or disgusting especially to the senses
    “Please do not use that offensive word in front of me,” said Dumbledore. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
  13. repellent
    highly offensive; arousing aversion or disgust
    The idea is so repellent, I thrust it from my mind. The Hunger Games
    Mosquito repellent drives pesky bugs away, so it's a good choice to describe anything that has that effect on you, whether it's an awful piece of music, or a giant, mutant blood-sucking mosquito the size of a car.
  14. repugnant
    offensive to the mind
    “I think paisley is detestable and should be banned until the end of time. Same goes for pastel-colored clothing. Oh, and khakis are repugnant.” I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter
  15. repulsive
    offensive to the mind or senses
    The smell in Iofur’s palace was repulsive: rancid seal fat, dung, blood, refuse of every sort. The Golden Compass
    Like repellent, repulsive describes something that's so unattractive or awful that it drives you away.
  16. revolting
    highly offensive; arousing aversion or disgust
    I stayed as far from the mess—and the revolting food—as possible. Three Little Words: A Memoir
    If something turns your stomach, that's revolting: utterly disgusting. It comes from the Italian rivolgere, meaning "to turn over again," and which was used to describe that feeling in your stomach.
  17. unsightly
    unpleasant to look at
    When pickled and eaten, these Murtlap growths promote resistance to curses and jinxes, though an overdose may cause unsightly purple ear hair. Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them
  18. vulgar
    conspicuously and tastelessly indecent
    Even when she was very angry, Mami rarely swore or used vulgar language. When I Was Puerto Rican
Created on Thu Mar 19 23:20:15 EDT 2020 (updated Wed Mar 03 15:48:27 EST 2021)

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