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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in ugly
unpleasant to look at
that bloody Halloween mask is grotesque
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in monster
a strange or horrible and often frightening creature
a gallery of grotesques from some horror movie
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of grotesque
James Mercadante, EW.com, 23 July 2025
The item, described by witnesses as grotesque and alarming, was found at a bus stop near the entrance of the ARCO/AMPM station on Bear Valley Road in Victorville, and reported to the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department (SBCSD).
—Sophie Clark, MSNBC Newsweek, 14 July 2025
The New Yorker, 24 Feb. 2025
His early short films, such as Six Men Getting Sick (1967) and The Grandmother (1970), showcased his talent for blending the grotesque with the beautiful, setting the stage for his groundbreaking debut feature, Eraserhead (1977).
—Darryn King, Forbes, 17 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for grotesque
Adjective
Charlie's sudden, grotesque exit becomes the catalyst for the rest of the film, dragging her family down a relentless tailspin of grief (and ancestral demons).
—James Mercadante, EW.com, 23 July 2025
The item, described by witnesses as grotesque and alarming, was found at a bus stop near the entrance of the ARCO/AMPM station on Bear Valley Road in Victorville, and reported to the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department (SBCSD).
—Sophie Clark, MSNBC Newsweek, 14 July 2025
Noun
Winifred, the protagonist of this Victorian-era grotesque, takes a position as a governess at an English manor.
—The New Yorker, 24 Feb. 2025
His early short films, such as Six Men Getting Sick (1967) and The Grandmother (1970), showcased his talent for blending the grotesque with the beautiful, setting the stage for his groundbreaking debut feature, Eraserhead (1977).
—Darryn King, Forbes, 17 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for grotesque
Recent Examples of Synonyms for grotesque
Adjective
-
The employee said a juvenile inside the restaurant was becoming loud, aggressive and was threatening employees and using profanities, according to a report from The South Bend Tribune.—
Katie Wiseman,
IndyStar,
23 Aug. 2025
-
The timing is notable: Trump’s Truth Social post about Bolton had nothing to do with classified information and everything to do with the fact that Bolton was one of the loudest reality checks on television about the President’s embarrassing summit a day earlier with Vladimir Putin, in Alaska.—
Susan B. Glasser,
New Yorker,
22 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
In the ugliest defeat of a season belatedly compiling them, the New York Mets blew an early 6-0 lead Wednesday to fall to the Atlanta Braves 11-6.—
Tim Britton,
New York Times,
14 Aug. 2025
-
The Navy must address the ugly fact that, despite all the security America can provide, a diverse array of enemies, rivals and criminals can shut the Panama Canal down at virtually any time.—
Craig Hooper,
Forbes.com,
14 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
Items still needed: large play mats, luggage, dolls, toy monster trucks Scampini Linn said she feels affirmed by the generosity of her community.—
Natalie Eilbert,
jsonline.com,
22 Aug. 2025
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His monster homer finally gave the Red Sox some room after a frustrating offensive game in which Boston stranded 14 men on base and went 3-for-19 with runners in scoring position.—
Jen McCaffrey,
New York Times,
22 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
The former Calle 13 member impresses her sensitivity to this piece, originally written by Orlando Brito and popularized in 1975 by the great Héctor Lavoe, giving it new life with her powerful, dramatic voice, accompanied by street guitars and harsh, aggressive chords that captivate the listener.—
Jessica Roiz,
Billboard,
15 Aug. 2025
-
While the comparison of slave babies being taken from their mommas, and immigrant children being separated from their parents might seem a bit harsh to some, the pain is the same.—
Bea L. Hines,
Miami Herald,
15 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
But the promise turned into disappointment during the Rockies’ hideous first half of the season.—
Patrick Saunders,
Denver Post,
19 July 2025
-
The last two decades spent without a Devil Wears Prada sequel started to feel a little bit like enduring a 20-year hideous skirt convention.—
EW.com,
EW.com,
28 July 2025
Noun
-
High-end grotesqueries out of Fellini or Visconti would have been more apt.—
Alex Ross,
New Yorker,
19 May 2025
-
By contrast, Doom: The Dark Ages flings the player back into the dark ages to witness a war between two factions that look like a low-rent knock-off imitation of series like Warhammer — grotesqueries and all.—
Kazuma Hashimoto,
Rolling Stone,
31 Mar. 2025
Adjective
-
For those just starting out on their GLP-1 journey, these early symptoms and side effects can be jarring and ultimately derail proper use of the drug or even deter potential new patients.—
Judy Koutsky,
Forbes.com,
23 Aug. 2025
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Their portrayals draw you in ever deeper, making an explosive second-act reckoning all the more jarring and effective.—
Rob Hubbard,
Twin Cities,
18 Aug. 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 28 Aug. 2025.
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