grotesquerie

noun

gro·​tes·​que·​rie grō-ˈte-skə-rē 

variants or less commonly grotesquery

plural grotesqueries

1

: something that is grotesque

2

: the quality or state of being grotesque : grotesqueness

Synonyms

• grotesque
• monster
• monstrosity
• ogre

Examples of grotesquerie in a Sentence

born Joseph Merrick, the so-called Elephant Man was for a time exhibited as a sideshow grotesquerie

Recent Examples on the Web

Both projects share a similar eye for the grotesquerie of the banal, with a generally condescending perspective toward rural desperation. —Daniel Fienberg, The Hollywood Reporter, 5 Dec. 2024

And if even the grotesqueries of Jimmy Fallon’s unconscious cannot slate your thirst for terror, congrats! —Bethy Squires, Vulture, 5 Sep. 2024

There’s a provision in the Dodd-Frank financial reform law that’s supposed to deal with such grotesqueries. —Timothy Noah, The New Republic, 2 May 2023

But the difference with Trump is that his massive influence on American political coalitions is largely based on whether voters thrill to his transgressions or are appalled by his grotesqueries. —Ben Jacobs, The New Republic, 21 Sep. 2023

Word History

Etymology

grotesque + French -erie -ery

First Known Use

circa 1666, in the meaning defined at sense 1