hideous

USAGE SUMMARY

"hideous" is a correct and usable word in written English.
It is an adjective that is used to describe something that is extremely ugly and unpleasant to look at. Example sentence: "The dress she wore to the wedding was absolutely hideous."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Formal & Business

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

So: "The pre-sales on the new album are hideous.

The Guardian - Music

But how does a film-maker with a love of exploitation flicks handle scenes in which genuinely hideous exploitation is taking place?

The Guardian - Film

And even Lionel Logue, the speech therapist who cuts through so much of the monarchy's pomposity, is a hideous social climber who subtly becomes more and more obnoxious and complacent the more access he gets to the king.

The Guardian - Film

As a teenager on the tour, "constantly staying in host families", wearing "those little white skirts" on court, Croft was "so terrified of leaking" that her mum sent her "this hideous pair [of underwear], like a shower cap.

The Guardian - Sport

Another hideous post-Sex And The City working-girl romcom from the team that gave us 27 Dresses.

The Guardian - Film

Which appears to be taking a short break from convincing us the UK has gone totally down the tubes to press home a slightly perplexing message of: hey, please don't break up this wonderful hideous slutty drunken immoral country where women, gays and foreigners don't know their place!

The Guardian

"Whatever you saw, no matter how hideous or bizarre, you knew you would get this beautiful, incredible song at the end," says Constantine.

The Guardian - Music

Safety and security would come naturally with this approach, not enforced by hideous CCTV cameras.

The Guardian

"I remember thinking all my friends were going to get prettier and prettier, and I was going to have hideous buckteeth for ever".

The Guardian - Lifestyle

And here they are, 1,000 little fluffy balls hurtling around their nice warm, glassed-in room, just a few days old, just starting out on their 12 weeks of life - which, in case you're feeling sorry for them, is more than twice the life-expectancy of a broiler, whose span is a mere 35 days, and those spent in the most hideous of conditions.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

You're the minister.'" Anthony said he agreed with Overall that "it was a hideous piece of statuary".

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "hideous" to describe something that is extremely unpleasant to look at, listen to, or experience. Ensure the context aligns with something truly offensive or shocking to maximize its impact.

Common error

Avoid using "hideous" for minor aesthetic dislikes. Save it for situations where the ugliness or unpleasantness is genuinely extreme, otherwise, opt for milder terms like "unattractive" or "unpleasant".

Linguistic Context

The adjective "hideous" functions to describe something as extremely unpleasant or ugly. Ludwig AI confirms this usage through numerous examples across various contexts, indicating its role in expressing strong negative aesthetic judgments.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

45%

Formal & Business

28%

Science

27%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "hideous" is a grammatically sound adjective widely used to describe something extremely unpleasant or ugly. Ludwig AI confirms its usage across various contexts, primarily in News & Media, Formal & Business, and Science. While its register is generally neutral, it's best reserved for situations where the described object or experience genuinely warrants such a strong, negative descriptor. Remember to consider alternatives like "repulsive" or "ghastly" for nuanced expression.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

repulsive

Focuses on causing disgust or aversion.

ghastly

Emphasizes a shocking or horrifying appearance.

frightful

Stresses the alarming or terrifying aspect.

horrendous

Highlights the extremely bad or unpleasant nature.

abominable

Suggests something intensely disliked or hated.

detestable

Focuses on something deserving intense dislike.

loathsome

Highlights the feeling of intense dislike or disgust.

disgusting

Emphasizes causing a feeling of revulsion.

obnoxious

Highlights the unpleasant and offensive nature.

odious

Stresses causing hatred or repugnance.

FAQs

How can I use "hideous" in a sentence?

You can use "hideous" to describe something extremely ugly or unpleasant. For example, "The painting was absolutely hideous", or "The weather today is hideous".

What words are similar to "hideous"?

Synonyms for "hideous" include "repulsive", "ghastly", and "frightful". Choose the one that best fits the specific nuance you want to convey.

Is it okay to use "hideous" in formal writing?

While "hideous" is a strong word, its appropriateness in formal writing depends on the context. It's suitable if you need to strongly emphasize the unpleasantness of something, but consider a more neutral alternative like "unattractive" if the situation doesn't warrant such a strong term.

What's the difference between "hideous" and "horrible"?

"Hideous" primarily refers to visual or aesthetic repulsiveness, while "horrible" describes something that causes fear, shock, or disgust in a more general sense. A monster might be both "hideous" and "horrible", but a bad experience is usually just "horrible".