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Hideous: meaning, definitions and examples

๐Ÿ˜ฑ
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hideous

 

[หˆhษชdiษ™s ]

Definitions

Context #1 | Adjective

appearance

Extremely unpleasant or ugly.

Synonyms

grotesque, monstrous, repulsive, ugly.

Which Synonym Should You Choose?

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Word Description / Examples
hideous

Used to describe something or someone extremely unpleasant or shocking in appearance. Often implies a strong negative reaction.

  • The abandoned house had a hideous look at night
  • His behavior at the party was absolutely hideous
ugly

Used in a more general sense to describe something or someone unpleasant to look at. It is a less intense term compared to the others.

  • She was upset about the ugly comments on her post
  • Although his face was considered ugly, he had a kind heart
repulsive

Used to describe something or someone that causes a strong feeling of disgust or aversion. It can be related to appearance, smell, or behavior.

  • The smell coming from the trash was repulsive
  • His repulsive attitude made him very unpopular among his peers
grotesque

Used for something that is comically or repulsively ugly or distorted. Often implies a mix of horror and absurdity.

  • The painting depicted grotesque creatures that seemed like a nightmare
  • His grotesque sense of humor made everyone uncomfortable
monstrous

Used to describe something that is abnormally large, frighteningly unnatural, or shockingly wrong. It often implies something of a threatening nature.

  • The monstrous shape of the shadow terrified the children
  • The criminal's monstrous acts were condemned by everyone in the community

Examples of usage

  • The movie was full of hideous monsters.
  • She wore a hideous dress to the party.
Context #2 | Adjective

behavior

Extremely unpleasant or offensive.

Synonyms

abhorrent, atrocious, offensive, repugnant.

Which Synonym Should You Choose?

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Word Description / Examples
hideous

Used to describe something extremely ugly or horrifying in appearance. It can also describe an action or situation that is shocking or dreadful.

  • She wore a hideous dress that looked like it belonged in the last century.
  • The crime scene was hideous; no one could bear to look at it.
offensive

Used when describing something that causes someone to feel hurt, angry, or upset, often through disrespect or insensitivity. This term often carries a negative connotation.

  • His remarks about her weight were highly offensive.
  • The comedian's jokes were considered offensive by many in the audience.
repugnant

This word conveys a sense of intense disgust. It is often used to describe ideas, actions, or behaviors that are morally repulsive.

  • The idea of cheating in the exam was repugnant to her.
  • His repugnant behavior at the party got him kicked out.
abhorrent

Appropriate for describing something that causes a feeling of strong disgust or hatred, often due to a moral or ethical stance.

  • His racist opinions are absolutely abhorrent to me.
  • The thought of animal cruelty is abhorrent.
atrocious

Refers to something extremely bad or unpleasant, particularly in a manner that is shocking due to its severity or brutality.

  • The conditions in the prison were atrocious.
  • Her spelling was atrocious, and even basic words were often incorrect.

Examples of usage

  • He made a hideous joke that offended everyone.
  • The dictator's hideous acts of violence shocked the world.

Interesting Facts

Etymology

  • The word descends from the Latin 'hideosus', meaning 'terrible' or 'dreadful'.
  • The root word 'hideo' in Latin is associated with 'to shudder', reflecting something that causes fear or disgust.
  • It has been in use in the English language since the 15th century, originally displaying a broader meaning related to horror.

Art

  • In visual arts, hideous imagery can provoke strong emotional responses, often used to critique society.
  • Some artists intentionally create hideous characters to explore themes of beauty and repulsion, challenging conventional norms.
  • Hideous creatures often appear in folklore and mythology, representing fears and moral lessons, like dragons or trolls.

Psychology

  • Research shows that our perception of beauty can be heavily influenced by cultural norms and experiences.
  • People often feel instinctively repulsed by things they deem hideous, which can be tied to evolutionary survival instincts.
  • The idea of something being hideous can evoke strong emotional reactions, often linked to personal experiences or societal trends.

Literature

  • Hideous characters often symbolize inner evil or moral corruption in literature, seen in classics like 'Frankenstein'.
  • In Gothic literature, hideous imagery evokes terror, contributing to the atmosphere and themes of dread.
  • Authors use hideous to critique societal standards of beauty, making readers question their perceptions.

Pop Culture

  • The concept of hideous often appears in monster movies or horror films to elicit fear and disgust.
  • Fairy tales sometimes feature hideous characters who undergo transformations, teaching lessons about inner beauty.
  • In comic books, hideous villains often represent extreme traits or ideologies, serving as foils to the heroes.

Translations

Translations of the word "hideous" in other languages:

๐Ÿ‡ต๐Ÿ‡น hediondo

๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡ณ เคญเคฏเคพเคจเค•

๐Ÿ‡ฉ๐Ÿ‡ช abscheulich

๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡ฉ mengerikan

๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ฆ ะพะณะธะดะฝะธะน

๐Ÿ‡ต๐Ÿ‡ฑ ohydny

๐Ÿ‡ฏ๐Ÿ‡ต ใฒใฉใ„

๐Ÿ‡ซ๐Ÿ‡ท hideux

๐Ÿ‡ช๐Ÿ‡ธ espantoso

๐Ÿ‡น๐Ÿ‡ท iฤŸrenรง

๐Ÿ‡ฐ๐Ÿ‡ท ์†Œ๋ฆ„๋ผ์น˜๋Š”

๐Ÿ‡ธ๐Ÿ‡ฆ ุจุดุน

๐Ÿ‡จ๐Ÿ‡ฟ odpornรฝ

๐Ÿ‡ธ๐Ÿ‡ฐ ohavnรฝ

๐Ÿ‡จ๐Ÿ‡ณ ไธ‘้™‹็š„

๐Ÿ‡ธ๐Ÿ‡ฎ grozovit

๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡ธ viรฐbjรณรฐslegur

๐Ÿ‡ฐ๐Ÿ‡ฟ ะถะธั–ั€ะบะตะฝั–ัˆั‚ั–

๐Ÿ‡ฌ๐Ÿ‡ช แƒกแƒแƒจแƒ˜แƒœแƒ”แƒšแƒ˜

๐Ÿ‡ฆ๐Ÿ‡ฟ iyrษ™nc

๐Ÿ‡ฒ๐Ÿ‡ฝ espantoso

Word Frequency Rank

Ranked #11,429, this word falls into high-advanced vocabulary. It appears less frequently but is valuable for expressing precise meanings in specific contexts.