Hideous
/ˈhɪdiəs/
Definitions
Extremely unpleasant, ugly, or offensive to the senses.
/ˈhɪdiəs/
Extremely unpleasant or repulsive
The clown wore a hideous mask.
💡 Simply: Imagine seeing something so ugly or disgusting that you can't stand to look at it. Like, a super messy room or a really scary monster.
👶 For kids: Very, very ugly or scary!
More Examples
The monster's appearance was truly hideous.
He found the wallpaper's pattern to be absolutely hideous.
How It's Used
"The building was a hideous concrete monstrosity."
"The artist's work was often criticized for its hideous depictions of war."
"She was described as a hideous witch."
Synonyms
Idioms & expressions
hideous laughter
A loud and unpleasant laugh, often associated with something sinister or cruel.
"The villain let out a hideous laughter as he revealed his evil plan."
From Middle English *hidous* (frightful), from Old French *hideus* (horrible, ugly), from *hide* (terror).
The word 'hideous' was frequently used in literature to describe monstrous creatures and scenes of great ugliness in the 16th-19th centuries.
Memory tip
Think of something so ugly it makes you want to hide your face.