UNBEAUTIFUL Synonyms: 72 Similar and Opposite Words

unbeautiful

adjective

ˌən-ˈbyü-ti-fəl

Definition of unbeautiful

as in ugly

unpleasant to look at a makeshift shelter that was unbeautiful perhaps, but it kept us out of the rain

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Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of unbeautiful Then over the Pont de la Concorde, an unbeautiful bridge that holds great historical significance. — Anna Hartley, Washington Post, 19 Aug. 2022 But it is often done in some very unbeautiful circumstances, for low wages, and in unhealthy work environments. — Emma Specter, Vogue, 10 Aug. 2022 Buddhism was born under a giant fig tree, which, today, grows at the center of the remote and unbeautiful town of Bodh Gaya, in India’s destitute northeastern state of Bihar. — Paul Salopek, The New Yorker, 9 Aug. 2019 These things are for the unbeautiful, the uneducated, the uncouth. — Dwight Garner, New York Times, 21 June 2017 Our sound, right now, is going to be the most blatant way of saying things -- the most unbeautiful, realistic lyrics. — Taylor Weatherby, Billboard, 20 June 2017

Recent Examples of Synonyms for unbeautiful

Adjective

The league and its players’ union are heading for an ugly fight, years in the making.

— Kurt Badenhausen, Sportico.com, 28 Oct. 2026
Cooling plates manage heat during normal operation, while passive barriers and electrical isolation are designed to contain the ugly edge cases that Beta’s testing process intentionally triggers.

— IEEE Spectrum, IEEE Spectrum, 28 Oct. 2026

Definition of ugly

Adjective

The identity of the unpleasing Lindsay Marriott’s slayer has no pressing interest.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 23 July 2026
The remarks not only referred to the aesthetics of the game – tedious matches devoid of skillful merit that were unpleasing to watch.

— Cesar R. Torres, The Conversation, 26 May 2026

Definition of unpleasing

Adjective

In his latest romp, corporate greed, lovable cows and hideous monsters converge in Richland, Ohio.

— Sam Macdonald, Scientific American, 28 Oct. 2026
The greatest player in the world was reduced to the role of supporting actor by Stan Wawrinka, who delivered a masterclass of a performance in possibly the most hideous shorts ever seen on a tennis court.

— Charlie Eccleshare, New York Times, 28 Oct. 2026

Definition of hideous

Adjective

The film is a wild, frequently grotesque spectacle that careens between horror, action, slapstick, and black comedy.

— Lisa Wong Macabasco, Vogue, 23 Oct. 2026
The bell, sans artist, continues to mark the passage of time, ringing every hour over the pavilion and its guests, a grotesque altar to the ongoing Venetian apocalypse.

— Tessa Solomon, ARTnews.com, 21 Oct. 2026

Definition of grotesque

Browse Nearby Words

unbeaten

unbeautiful

unbecoming

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“Unbeautiful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unbeautiful. Accessed 30 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of unbeautiful

adjective

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