someone who is ugly has a face that is unpleasant to look at. Ugly is an unkind word, so people often use the word plain instead, to avoid causing offence
The other man was hideously ugly.
She won’t wear T-shirts because she thinks her arms are ugly.
Synonyms and related words
Ugly or not attractive
ugly
grim
unattractive
1a
something that is ugly is unpleasant to look at
an ugly concretebridge
Do you think its framemakes the picturelook ugly?
Synonyms and related words
Ugly or not attractive
ugly
grim
unattractive
2
very unpleasant
an ugly rumour
ugly racistpropaganda
the ugly face of something (=the unpleasant aspect of it):
Critics have described the policy as the ugly face of Republicanism.
Synonyms and related words
Extremely unpleasant
horrible
dreadful
disgusting
3
an ugly situation involves violent or angry behaviour
There were ugly scenesfollowing the match.
an ugly confrontation
turn ugly (=become unpleasant):
The situationturned ugly when one of the policeofficers was hit by a rock.
Synonyms and related words
Involving violence and bloodshed
violent
ferocious
bloodthirsty
derived word
ugliness
noun
Synonyms and related words
Ugliness and unattractiveness
severity
ugly
adjective
US /ˈʌɡli/
Other entries for this word
butt uglyadjective
plug-uglyadjective
Ugly Americannoun
ugly ducklingnoun
rear its (ugly) headphrase
as guilty/ugly/miserable as sinphrase
Word Forms
adjective
ugly
comparative
uglier
superlative
ugliest
DEFINITIONS3
1
someone who is ugly has a face that is unpleasant to look at. Ugly is an unkind word, so people often use the word plain instead, to avoid causing offense
The other man was hideously ugly.
She won’t wear T-shirts because she thinks her arms are ugly.
Synonyms and related words
Ugly or not attractive
ugly
grim
unattractive
1a
something that is ugly is unpleasant to look at
an ugly concretebridge
Do you think the rustmakes the picturelook ugly?
Synonyms and related words
Ugly or not attractive
ugly
grim
unattractive
2
an ugly situation involves violent or angry behavior
There were ugly scenesfollowing the game.
an ugly confrontation
turn ugly (=become unpleasant):
The situationturned ugly when one of the policeofficers was hit by a rock.
Synonyms and related words
Involving violence and bloodshed
violent
ferocious
bloodthirsty
3
very unpleasant
an ugly rumor
ugly racistpropaganda
the ugly face of something (=the unpleasant aspect of it):
Critics have described the policy as the ugly face of Republicanism.