ugly
adj.adj. unpleasant to look at or not attractive. You can also use it to describe a situation that is mean, violent, or very unpleasant.
adj. unpleasant or repulsive in appearance; aesthetically displeasing. It can also describe morally offensive behavior or situations marked by hostility and potential violence.
The old building was quite ugly before they painted it.
The argument between the two neighbors turned ugly when they started shouting and making threats.
While the architecture of the industrial district is undeniably ugly, the efficiency of its layout remains a model for modern logistics hubs.
Inherited from Middle English ugly, uggely, uglike, borrowed from Old Norse uggligr (“fearful, dreadful, horrible in appearance”), from uggr (“fear, apprehension, dread”) (possibly related to agg (“strife, hate”)), equivalent to ug + -ly. Cognate with Scots ugly, uglie, Icelandic ugglegur. Meaning softened to "very unpleasant to look at" around the late 14th century, and sense of "morally offensive" attested from around 1300. For the meaning development compare Bulgarian грозен (grozen) (< Proto-Slavic grozьnъ), Russian стра́шный (strášnyj) (< Proto-Slavic strašьnъ < straxъ); Latin foedus (< Proto-Indo-European bʰeyh₂-).
Gradable adjective; can be used in the comparative 'uglier' and superlative 'ugliest'.
- 01
beat with the ugly stick
Used to describe someone who is particularly ugly or unattractive.
- 02
fall out of the ugly tree and hit every branch
To become extremely unattractive.
- 03
ugly American
An American government representative, tourist, or businessperson who, in dealing with people of other nations, is haughty, rude, meddlesome, chauvinistic, or jingoistic.