# painful on the eyes

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/painful-on-the-eyes
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

Ugly, disagreeable to look at.

## Examples

- That bright neon jacket is painful on the eyes.
- The new office building has such strange colors that it is truly painful on the eyes.
- Although the architect intended to create a bold statement, the resulting structure is undeniably painful on the eyes for everyone in the neighborhood.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.