# ugh

/ˈəɡ/ (US) · /ˈʌɡ/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/ugh
Updated: 2026-08-08

## Senses

### 1. disgust or annoyance

interjection · CEFR B1 · Informal

you use this when you find something disgusting, boring, or annoying.

For teachers: used to express a reaction of disgust, repugnance, or frustration.

- Ugh, this milk smells like it has gone bad.
- Ugh, I cannot believe we have to sit through another three-hour meeting about office supplies.

### 2. primitive sound

interjection · CEFR C2 · Humorous · Literary

a simple sound used in stories to show someone is not speaking clearly, like a caveman.

For teachers: represents a guttural, inarticulate vocalisation, often used in popular culture to depict primitive or non-verbal communication.

- The caveman in the cartoon just pointed at the fire and said, 'Ugh.'
- The script relied on stereotypical grunts and 'ugh' sounds to convey the protagonist's lack of linguistic sophistication before the second act.

## Examples

- Ugh, this milk smells terrible.
- Ugh, I really don't want to spend another three hours sitting in this traffic jam.
- The protagonist's only response to the mountain of paperwork was a weary 'ugh' before she finally sat down to begin the task.

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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.