1
as in loud
disagreeable to one's aesthetic or artistic sense
the gaudy, overdecorated interior of the gambling casino was just too grotesque for my taste
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in ugly
unpleasant to look at
that bloody Halloween mask is grotesque
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in monster
a strange or horrible and often frightening creature
a gallery of grotesques from some horror movie
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of grotesque
Maureen Lee Lenker, EW.com, 22 Jan. 2025
There’s also the grotesque case of Dominique Pelicot, the Frenchman who has been convicted of drugging his wife, Gisele, and allowing dozens of men to rape her in their home.
—Robin Abcarian, The Mercury News, 27 Dec. 2024
Kate McGregor, House Beautiful, 14 July 2023
An element of the grotesque inflects Stettheimer’s version of the American rococo, and one wonders whether this is part of its Americanness, connecting her to John Currin as much as to the nineteenth-century circus poster.
—Adam Gopnik, The New Yorker, 21 Feb. 2022
See All Example Sentences for grotesque
Adjective
Megan Suri breathes fresh life into the conniving gold-digger trope, while Friend enjoys chewing the scenery as the grotesque Sergey.
—Maureen Lee Lenker, EW.com, 22 Jan. 2025
There’s also the grotesque case of Dominique Pelicot, the Frenchman who has been convicted of drugging his wife, Gisele, and allowing dozens of men to rape her in their home.
—Robin Abcarian, The Mercury News, 27 Dec. 2024
Noun
Washington National Cathedral, a famous example of Neo-Gothic architecture, is known for its collection of more than a hundred gargoyles and grotesques, including funny ones.
—Kate McGregor, House Beautiful, 14 July 2023
An element of the grotesque inflects Stettheimer’s version of the American rococo, and one wonders whether this is part of its Americanness, connecting her to John Currin as much as to the nineteenth-century circus poster.
—Adam Gopnik, The New Yorker, 21 Feb. 2022
See All Example Sentences for grotesque
Recent Examples of Synonyms for grotesque
Adjective
-
At night, everyone heads for Sambadrome Marquês de Sapucaí (there’s a cost to attend), the massive stadium that is the kickoff point for the boisterous and loud samba parades that take place throughout the night.—
Ramsey Qubein,
Forbes,
22 Feb. 2025
-
The project involves using implosives to connect wires on that segment, hence the loud booms heard by those who live nearby.—
Angela Palermo,
Idaho Statesman,
22 Feb. 2025
Adjective
-
The advanced metrics paint an ugly picture for the Suns as well over that span: 114.0 OffRtg (11th), 117.3 DefRtg (27th), -3.2 NetRtg (21st).—
Evan Sidery,
Forbes,
28 Feb. 2025
-
Or the constitutional dystopia in which we are now caught, beside which even the ugliest onscreen villainy pales into insignificance?—
Justin Chang,
The New Yorker,
28 Feb. 2025
Noun
-
Distorted and exaggerated by Weegee’s hand—with grins set in a chilling rictus, or eyes and noses spread wide and pancaked—these idols became monsters.—
Naomi Fry,
The New Yorker,
22 Feb. 2025
-
Monster Train 2 looks to be building on the foundations of its predecessor, so players will once again board a train and defend it against incoming monster hordes on several vertical levels at the same time.—
Dan Perry,
Newsweek,
20 Feb. 2025
Adjective
-
Unlike Western cleansers, which often rely on harsh surfactants or astringent ingredients, Korean ones maintain the skin’s moisture barrier and natural pH balance, says Cho.—
Denise Primbet,
Glamour,
28 Feb. 2025
-
Her lyric vocal writing contends with harsh reality, but her style is never far from profound rapture.—
Mark Swed,
Los Angeles Times,
28 Feb. 2025
Adjective
-
The result was good for the Jayhawks, as the Cyclones shot a hideous 1-for-12 (11%) from long range.—
Shreyas Laddha,
Kansas City Star,
4 Feb. 2025
-
Rust is a big deal, as is the fact that many Panteras have been mangled by previous owners bestowing hideous enhancements (think bad celebrity plastic surgery) on otherwise desirable cars.—
Robert Ross,
Robb Report,
17 Jan. 2025
Noun
-
Dreamy forests and bright angels curdle and mutate into digital grotesquerie, a Spam Folder of faceless creatures and shock shlock.—
Kieran Press-Reynolds,
Pitchfork,
19 Feb. 2025
-
And his finest work, the 1990 television soap opera Twin Peaks, could also be considered a sensitive, comedic Rorschach test, given its all-American grotesqueries — the definition of his artistic expression.—
Armond White,
National Review,
17 Jan. 2025
Adjective
-
Just as jarring, in my view, has been Trump’s embrace of Putin-like tactics at home, a hallmark of his return to power which has unfolded with a speed and ferocity far different than what Trump was able to pull off in his first term.—
Susan B. Glasser,
The New Yorker,
20 Feb. 2025
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Turning the zoom dial too quickly creates a jarring effect, but a slower, steadier touch results in smooth footage.—
PCMAG,
PCMAG,
18 Feb. 2025
Adjective
-
Smears on non-sensor areas of the tiara are like bug debris on your hood, aesthetically unpleasing but not harmful.—
Eric Tegler,
Popular Mechanics,
1 Oct. 2019
-
His side's inability to finish off the game against Burnley on the other hand was very unpleasing.—
SI.com,
SI.com,
1 Feb. 2018
Cite this Entry
“Grotesque.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/grotesque. Accessed 3 Mar. 2025.
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