ugly

 If something is unattractive, the word "ugly" is a good choice to describe it. This is a short word and the meaning is very clear. The word "ugly," however, is not a nice word to use for a person. It’s the opposite of "pretty" or "beautiful."

• Joan and Pat bought an ugly house and fixed it up. Now the house looks great.
• Mary thought she was ugly as a child, but now she’s quite beautiful.
• No one wants to buy that car because the color is so ugly.
• That new building on the corner is so ugly.
• Strip mining leaves an ugly scar on the land.

a strip mine

The word "ugly" is also used when describing situations:

• Bill and Hoda are going through an ugly divorce.
• An ugly rumor involving President Obama’s past is circulating on the internet.
• We saw an ugly confrontation on the highway the other day between two drivers.

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This page was first published on August 25, 2012. It was updated on July 21, 2015.