adjective
Uncommon
hideous
HIHD-ee-uhs
Hideous (adjective) means Extremely or shockingly ugly. Example: “The monster in the film had a hideous, twisted face.”
adjective
1
Extremely or shockingly ugly.
"I’m sorry to break it to you, but your dress looks truly hideous."
"Like the "Kas," these locomotives were originally semi-streamlined, although their conical snout was not nearly so hideous as the sloping mock-radiators adorning the bigger engines."
— J. B. Snell, The New Zealand Government Railways—2 (1954)
"The monster in the film had a hideous, twisted face."
2
Morally shocking or detestable.
"The crime was a hideous betrayal of trust."
How to use hideous
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishExtremely ugly or shocking, used for appearance or for something morally awful.
Common pairings
hideous creature
hideous crime
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Word forms
- Comparative
- more hideous
- Superlative
- most hideous
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
The monster in the film had a _____, twisted face.
Etymology
From Old French "hideus," ultimately from a word meaning "horror" or "fear" — the word originally carried a sense of something terrifying rather than merely unattractive.
Synonyms
View more →Antonyms
Related words
Rhymes for hideous
See all rhymes for hideous →Frequently asked questions
What does “hideous” mean?
The word “hideous” means extremely or shockingly ugly. In plain terms, extremely ugly or shocking, used for appearance or for something morally awful.
How do you pronounce “hideous”?
“Hideous” is pronounced HIHD-ee-uhs (/ˈhɪd.i.əs/ in IPA).
How do you use “hideous” in a sentence?
Here is “hideous” used in a sentence: “The monster in the film had a hideous, twisted face.”
What is another word for “hideous”?
Words with a similar meaning to “hideous” include frightful, ghastly, grim, grisly, grotesque and horrid.
What part of speech is “hideous”?
“Hideous” is an adjective.
Where does the word “hideous” come from?
The word “hideous” comes from Old French. From Old French "hideus," ultimately from a word meaning "horror" or "fear" — the word originally carried a sense of something terrifying rather than merely unattractive.
Is “hideous” a common word?
“Hideous” is an uncommon word in modern English.
How many meanings does “hideous” have?
“Hideous” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: extremely or shockingly ugly.
