ugly
gb/ˈʌɡli/ us/ˈʌɡli/
A2
English
~ 7700
Senses
0 senses
adjective
A2
property
1
physically very unattractive
Not nice to look at; very not pretty or not attractive.
Usage pattern:
[someone/something] is ugly
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes use "ugly" for small or polite criticism, where native speakers would say "not very nice" or "unattractive". "Ugly" can sound very strong or rude when talking about a person’s face or body.
Synonyms
unattractive (More neutral and less emotionally strong than "ugly"; often preferred in polite conversation.)
|
hideous (Stronger than "ugly", suggesting something extremely and shockingly unpleasant to see.)
Antonyms
beautiful (Describes someone or something that is very pleasant to look at, the direct opposite of visually ugly.)
Collocations
ugly face
|ugly building
|ugly dress
|ugly color
|ugly scar
|really ugly
Themes
appearance
|daily_life
|body
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- He felt insecure because he thought his nose was ugly.
- That new office tower is so ugly it ruins the whole skyline.
- I love this dog, even though he’s a little ugly.
- The wallpaper was an ugly mix of orange and brown.
- They tore down the ugly bridge and built a more stylish one.
Learner examples
- The dress is cheap, but it is ugly.
- That building is very tall, but it is also very ugly.
- He feels shy because he thinks he is ugly.
- The old sofa looks ugly next to the new table.
- She does not want to buy the car because she thinks it is ugly.
adjective
B2
property
2
morally bad or very unpleasant
Very bad or shocking in a moral or emotional way; making people feel angry, sad, or uncomfortable.
Usage pattern:
ugly [word/behavior/situation]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes think this sense only refers to looks. In phrases like "ugly truth" or "ugly behavior", "ugly" does NOT mean physically unattractive but morally or emotionally very bad.
Synonyms
nasty (Informal and common; suggests meanness or unpleasantness, often slightly softer than "ugly" in this sense.)
|
offensive (Focuses on causing anger or hurt, especially through language or behavior; more formal than "ugly".)
Antonyms
pleasant (Describes something that gives a good, comfortable feeling, the opposite of a morally or emotionally ugly situation.)
Collocations
ugly rumor
|ugly behavior
|ugly history
|ugly word
|ugly past
|ugly side
Themes
emotions
|social_issues
|relationships
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- The report exposed the ugly reality of how the workers were treated.
- He apologized for using such an ugly word during the meeting.
- The film shows the ugly side of the fashion industry.
- There’s an ugly history of racism in that town.
- Their divorce turned into an ugly legal battle with lies and threats.
Learner examples
- The article shows the ugly reality of the war.
- She hates the ugly truth about how the company treats workers.
- He said some ugly things to his brother when he was angry.
- The movie shows the ugly side of social media.
- They are trying to hide the ugly past of the organization.
adjective
B2
property
3
threatening or likely to turn violent
Showing signs that something bad, angry, or violent may happen soon.
Usage pattern:
[situation/mood] turns ugly
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse this with the basic appearance meaning and are surprised that people or news reports call a fight or protest "ugly". In this sense, it does not describe looks but the dangerous or hostile feeling of the situation.
Synonyms
menacing (Suggests a clear feeling of threat or possible harm, often slightly more formal than "ugly".)
|
volatile (Focuses on how a situation can quickly change and become dangerous; common in news and formal reports.)
Antonyms
calm (Describes a peaceful, controlled situation where no violence or serious trouble is expected.)
Collocations
ugly mood
|ugly crowd
|ugly scene
|things turned ugly
|the situation got ugly
Themes
conflict
|emotions
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- The crowd grew restless, and the atmosphere started to feel ugly.
- Police were called in when the protest turned ugly.
- There was an ugly mood in the stadium after the team lost.
- Things got ugly when the two leaders began trading personal insults on live TV.
- The argument became ugly, and people were afraid it might turn into a fight.
Learner examples
- The game turned ugly after the referee’s decision.
- There was an ugly mood in the bar late at night.
- The peaceful protest suddenly got ugly when someone threw a bottle.
- The meeting started well but became ugly when they talked about money.
- The situation may turn ugly if they do not find an agreement.
Grammar
Dictionary form
ugly
IPA
GB/ˈʌɡli/
US/ˈʌɡli/
Syllables & stress
ugly (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (ugly)
Word forms
Adjective
- Base: ugly
- Comparative: uglier
- Superlative: ugliest
Word family
Forms
uglier
adjective
ugliest
adjective
Core family
ugliness
noun
Related words
uglify
verb
Negative and opposite forms
beautiful
adjective A1
attractive
adjective A2
Expressions
get ugly
1/ɡˈɛt ˈʌɡli/
fixed phrase
informal
become unpleasant or violent
To become very bad, angry, or violent.
Examples
- Let’s leave now before things get ugly.
- The argument got ugly when they started shouting personal insults.
- The party got ugly after midnight, so we went home.
in an ugly mood
1/ˈɪn ən ˈʌɡli mˈud/
fixed phrase
very angry, unfriendly mood
Feeling very angry and ready to say or do something unpleasant.
Examples
- The boss is in an ugly mood today, so be careful.
- The crowd was in an ugly mood after the team lost.
- She came home in an ugly mood and didn’t want to talk.
make an ugly scene
1/mˈeɪk ən ˈʌɡli sˈin/
fixed phrase
cause loud public argument
To shout, cry, or fight in public so that everyone can see and feels uncomfortable.
Examples
- He didn’t want to make an ugly scene at the restaurant, so he paid and left.
- She made an ugly scene at the airport when her flight was canceled.
- Please don’t make an ugly scene in front of the guests.
the ugly truth
1/ðə ˈʌɡli tɹˈuθ/
fixed phrase
unpleasant fact that is true
A fact that is true but very hard or painful to accept.
Examples
- She finally faced the ugly truth about her health problems.
- The documentary shows the ugly truth behind cheap fast fashion.
- It’s time we told the kids the ugly truth about why we moved.
turn ugly
1/tˈɚn ˈʌɡli/
fixed phrase
change and become threatening
To change from normal or calm to very unpleasant, angry, or dangerous.
Examples
- The peaceful protest suddenly turned ugly.
- Their online discussion turned ugly after a few rude comments.
- The situation could turn ugly if the talks fail.
Ugly American
1/ˈʌɡli əmˈɛɹɪkən/
idiom
rude American visitor abroad
An American person in another country who acts loud, rude, or not respectful of local people and culture.
Examples
- The guide warned us not to be "Ugly Americans" while we were abroad.
- His loud complaints at the café made him look like an Ugly American.
- She works hard not to fit the Ugly American stereotype when she travels.
ugly cry
1/ˈʌɡli kɹˈaɪ/
fixed phrase
informal
cry very hard and messily
To cry very hard so that your face looks very messy and not nice.
Examples
- I watched the movie and did a full ugly cry at the end.
- She went to the bathroom to ugly cry where no one could see her.
- He tried not to ugly cry during the goodbye speech.
ugly duckling
1/ˈʌɡli dˈʌklɪŋ/
idiom
person who becomes attractive later
A person who looks or seems bad or weak at first, but later becomes beautiful or very successful.
Examples
- She was an ugly duckling at school, but now she’s a famous model.
- The small start‑up was an ugly duckling that grew into a huge company.
- He used to feel like the ugly duckling in his family of athletes.
ugly scene
1/ˈʌɡli sˈin/
fixed phrase
loud, angry public incident
A public situation where people shout, fight, or act in a very bad or embarrassing way.
Examples
- There was an ugly scene outside the bar after closing time.
- He didn’t want to make an ugly scene in front of the children.
- The meeting ended in an ugly scene between the two managers.
ugly sweater
1/ˈʌɡli swˈɛtɚ/
fixed phrase
informal
very unattractive, often funny sweater
A very bad‑looking sweater, often with loud colors or designs, sometimes worn for fun at special parties.
Examples
- Everyone wore an ugly sweater to the holiday party.
- Everyone has to wear an ugly sweater to the Christmas party.
- She won the contest for the ugliest sweater.
- He won first prize for the ugliest sweater at work.
- She keeps her ugly sweater just for holiday photos.