a hideous experience

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "a hideous experience" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to describe an event or situation that was extremely unpleasant or distressing. Example: "The storm left us stranded for hours, and it turned into a hideous experience that I will never forget."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

2 human-written examples

Although not as common as a bridal freak-out, when it happens, it's a hideous experience for everybody working for that wedding.

Huffington Post

The obstetrician was like 'Oh my God you're 40, send thee to an IVF doctor' and as a result I spent most of last year going through a kind of a hideous experience (Carole, 42yrs).

BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

58 human-written examples

"Overall, it's been a creatively satisfying, if physically hideous experience," Mr. Straczynski commented.

The New York Times

Getting fired is almost always a hideous, traumatic experience.

Forbes

"I was making the Talking Heads movie while going through this hideous experience," he said.

The New York Times

After reading these books my first thought was, "Nobody should have to go through this kind of hideous experience ever again".

Huffington Post

It needs to change, and thanks to my own hideous experiences, I have a few solutions to the problem.

Independent

Following some hideous experiences, I have learned a thing or two about spotting dysfunctional organisations.

The Guardian

For so much of his life he was "the other" an alien.. Charles suffered many traumatic and hideous experiences and yet he kept bouncing back.

Huffington Post

I suspect it's because when I was growing up in Manchester I had such hideous experiences at the hands of white hairdressers who didn't have a clue what to do with my afro.

The Guardian - Money

But there were also some hideous experiences.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When describing an event as "a hideous experience", ensure that the context clearly illustrates the extreme unpleasantness or distress caused. Avoid overuse; reserve it for truly awful situations.

Common error

Avoid using "a hideous experience" to describe mildly unpleasant situations. Overusing strong language diminishes its impact and can make your writing seem melodramatic.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "a hideous experience" functions as a noun phrase, where 'hideous' modifies the noun 'experience'. Ludwig AI indicates it describes something extremely unpleasant or distressing.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

60%

Science

20%

Formal & Business

10%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

5%

Wiki

3%

Reference

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "a hideous experience" is a grammatically correct noun phrase used to describe something extremely unpleasant or distressing. Ludwig AI confirms its usability and suggests alternatives like "a terrible ordeal" or "a dreadful experience". While relatively rare in occurrence, it's mostly found in news and media, indicating a neutral register despite the strength of the word 'hideous'. Use it judiciously to accurately convey the severity of a negative experience and avoid exaggeration.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

an awful experience

Replaces "hideous" with "awful", indicating something very bad or unpleasant, but potentially less severe.

a terrible experience

Substitutes "hideous" with "terrible", suggesting something extremely bad or serious in effect.

a dreadful experience

Uses "dreadful" instead of "hideous", emphasizing the unpleasantness and causing fear or apprehension.

a horrifying experience

Replaces "hideous" with "horrifying", highlighting the fear-inducing and shocking nature of the experience.

a traumatic experience

Changes "hideous" to "traumatic", focusing on the deeply distressing and emotionally damaging aspects of the experience.

a gruesome experience

Replaces "hideous" with "gruesome", indicating something extremely unpleasant and shocking, often associated with violence or death.

a nightmarish experience

Substitutes "hideous" with "nightmarish", evoking a sense of terror and resembling a bad dream.

a revolting experience

Replaces "hideous" with "revolting", highlighting the disgust and repulsion caused by the experience.

an appalling experience

Uses "appalling" in place of "hideous", indicating something shocking and deeply unpleasant.

a ghastly experience

Substitutes "hideous" with "ghastly", emphasizing the shocking and horrifying nature of the experience, often with a supernatural connotation.

FAQs

How can I use "a hideous experience" in a sentence?

You can use "a hideous experience" to describe an event or situation that was extremely unpleasant or distressing. For example: "The accident was "a hideous experience" for everyone involved".

What can I say instead of "a hideous experience"?

You can use alternatives like "a terrible experience", "a dreadful experience", or "a horrifying experience" depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Is "a hideous experience" too strong of a phrase for everyday use?

Yes, "a hideous experience" is a strong phrase best reserved for situations that are truly awful or distressing. Consider using milder alternatives like "a bad experience" or "an unpleasant experience" for less severe situations.

What makes "a hideous experience" different from "a bad experience"?

"A hideous experience" implies a much greater degree of unpleasantness, distress, and potential trauma compared to "a bad experience". "Hideous" suggests something extremely offensive and shocking, while "bad" is a more general term for something undesirable.