ugly

1 of 2

adjective

ug·​ly ˈə-glē How to pronounce ugly (audio)
uglier; ugliest
1
a
: offensive to the sight : hideous
b
: offensive or unpleasant to any sense
2
: morally offensive or objectionable
corruption—the ugliest stain of all
3
a
: likely to cause inconvenience or discomfort
the ugly truth
b
: surly, quarrelsome
an ugly disposition
4
uglily adverb

ugly

2 of 2

adverb

: in an ugly manner
was acting ugly

Examples of ugly in a Sentence

Adjective an ugly shade of green They avoided what could have been an ugly situation. He has an ugly disposition.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Adjective
For many people, finding the perfect ugly Christmas sweater is an annual tradition. Shea Simmons, People.com, 12 Dec. 2024 In a Hungarian cartoon from around 1951, Churchill is seen as an ugly villain, ready to set households and factories on fire. Ella Feldman, Smithsonian Magazine, 12 Dec. 2024
Adverb
Georgia beat the Longhorns 30-15 in Austin earlier this year in a game that turned ugly toward the end as fans threw trash on the field after a controversial call by referees. Ross Terrell, Axios, 2 Dec. 2024 But Gil was the main culprit thanks to an uneven night that turned ugly late, giving up two hits, including a fifth-inning two-run blast from No. 9 hitter Will Benson. Brendan Kuty, The Athletic, 2 July 2024 See all Example Sentences for ugly 

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

Middle English, from Old Norse uggligr, from uggr fear; akin to Old Norse ugga to fear

First Known Use

Adjective

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 4

Adverb

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of ugly was in the 13th century

Dictionary Entries Near ugly

Cite this Entry

“Ugly.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ugly. Accessed 21 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

ugly

adjective
ug·​ly
ˈəg-lē
uglier; ugliest
1
: horrid or unpleasant especially to the sight : unsightly, hideous
2
3
a
: likely to cause bother or discomfort : troublesome
an ugly situation
b
: quarrelsome
an ugly disposition
ugliness noun

More from Merriam-Webster on ugly

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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