Dictionary

ugly en · ADJ

Pronunciation

• (US) audio
• /ˈɜɡli/ Southern US, African-American Vernacular, fronting
• /ˈɘ̞ɡli/ Southern US, African-American Vernacular, fronting
• (US) audio
• (UK) audio
• /ˈʌɡli/

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English ugly, uggely, uglike, borrowed from Old Norse uggligr (“fearful, dreadful, horrible in appearance”), from uggr (“fear, apprehension, dread”) (possibly related to agg (“strife, hate”)), equivalent to ug + -ly. Cognate with Scots ugly, uglie, Icelandic ugglegur. Meaning softened to "very unpleasant to look at" around the late 14th century, and sense of "morally offensive" attested from around 1300. For the meaning development compare Bulgarian грозен (grozen) (< Proto-Slavic *grozьnъ), Russian стра́шный (strášnyj) (< Proto-Slavic *strašьnъ < *straxъ); Latin foedus (< Proto-Indo-European *bʰeyh₂-).

Meanings

1. Displeasing to the eye; aesthetically unpleasing.
   • O, I have passed a miserable night, / So full of ugly sights, of ghastly dreams. c. 1593 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedy of Richard the Third: […]”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act I, scene iv]:
   • President Obama gave an important press conference today and even took questions from the press, but all of this was overshadowed by the fact that Obama debuted one of the ugliest suits in the history of this great nation. 2014 August 28, Arit John, “No One Heard Anything Obama Just Said Because His Tan Suit Was So Loud”, in The Atlantic, archived from the original on 30 Nov 2025:
   • In Athens he looked up from his ouzo at what he called the ugliest people in the world. 1957 September 5, Jack Kerouac, On the Road, New York, N.Y.: Viking Press, →OCLC:
   • When the poor man’s integuments, no longer nourished from within, become dead skin, mere adscititious leather and callosity, wearing thicker and thicker, uglier and uglier;[…]— yes then, you may say, his usefulness once more is quite obstructed;[…]it is time that he take to bed, and prepare for departure, which cannot now be distant! 1843, Thomas Carlyle, “XVII: The Beginnings”, in Past and Present, book 2:
   • the ugly view of his deformed crimes 1590, Edmund Spenser, “Book I, Canto IX”, in The Faerie Queene. […], London: […] [John Wolfe] for William Ponsonbie, →OCLC, stanza 48:
2. Displeasing to the ear or some other sense.
3. Offensive to one's sensibilities or morality.
   • He played an ugly trick on us.
   • All this was extraordinarily distasteful to Churchill. It was ugly, gross. Never before had he felt such repulsion when the vicar displayed his characteristic bluntness or coarseness of speech. In the present connexion—or rather as a transition from the subject that started their conversation—such talk had been distressingly out of place. 1918, W[illiam] B[abington] Maxwell, chapter XII, in The Mirror and the Lamp, Indianapolis, Ind.: The Bobbs-Merrill Company, →OCLC:
4. (Southern-US) Ill-natured; crossgrained; quarrelsome.
   • an ugly temper; to feel ugly
5. (derogatory, figuratively) Unpleasant; disagreeable; likely to cause trouble or loss.
   • an ugly customer, wound or rumor
   • With all this competition, expect things to get ugly.
   • an ugly story that was being noised about in newsrooms across the nation

Forms

Antonyms

good-looking · gorgeous (antonym(s) of “displeasing to the eye”) · sightly (antonym(s) of “displeasing to the eye”) · nice · attractive (antonym(s) of “displeasing to the ear or some other sense”) · attractive (antonym(s) of “displeasing to the eye”) · pleasing (antonym(s) of “displeasing to the ear or some other sense”) · beautiful (antonym(s) of “displeasing to the eye”) · pretty (antonym(s) of “displeasing to the eye”) · handsome (antonym(s) of “displeasing to the eye”) · comely · moral (antonym(s) of “offensive to one's sensibilities or morality”)

Deriveds

ugly as bull-beef (Compound words and expressions) · ugly as sin (Compound words and expressions) · Hollywood ugly (Compound words and expressions) · bugly (single words) · mugly (single words) · ugly law (Compound words and expressions) · ugly up (Compound words and expressions) · big enough and ugly enough (Compound words and expressions) · ugly-finder (Compound words and expressions) · uggo (single words) · ugly sister (Compound words and expressions) · ugly duckling (Compound words and expressions) · uglysome (single words) · ugly stick (Compound words and expressions) · ugger (single words) · pug-ugly (Compound words and expressions) · ugglesome (single words) · ugli (single words) · big ugly dish (Compound words and expressions) · ugly customer (Compound words and expressions) · ugly hot (Compound words and expressions) · uglyism (single words) · ugly finder (Compound words and expressions) · fugly (single words) · coyote ugly (Compound words and expressions) · superugly (single words) · beat with the ugly stick (Compound words and expressions) · ugly American (Compound words and expressions) · unugly (single words) · butt-ugly (Compound words and expressions) · ugly cry (Compound words and expressions) · uglification (single words) · uglyish (single words) · fall out of the ugly tree and hit every branch (Compound words and expressions) · uglify (single words) · big and ugly enough (Compound words and expressions) · ugly man (Compound words and expressions) · uglily (single words) · ugly milk-cap (Compound words and expressions) · rear one's ugly head (Compound words and expressions) · uglisome (single words) · plug-ugly (Compound words and expressions) · butt ugly (Compound words and expressions)

Descendants

ogri

Relateds

ugliness · ugly man · ugly person · ug · ugly woman

Synonyms

butt-ugly · plug-ugly · beat · bad · unsightly (displeasing to the eye) · butters · hideous (displeasing to the eye) · repulsive (displeasing to the ear or some other sense) · ugly · like the back end of a bus · unattractive (displeasing to the ear or some other sense) · corrupt (offensive to one's sensibilities or morality) · vile (offensive to one's sensibilities or morality) · deform · clapped · repulsive (displeasing to the eye) · ugly as sin · uncomely (displeasing to the eye) · unpretty · immoral (offensive to one's sensibilities or morality) · fugly · unattractive (displeasing to the eye) · homely (displeasing to the eye) · coyote ugly · fuckfaced · displeasing (displeasing to the ear or some other sense)

Translations (228)

eu zatar (displeasing to the eye; not aesthetically pleasing) · hmc dab tuag (displeasing to the eye; not aesthetically pleasing) · fo ljótur (displeasing to the eye; not aesthetically pleasing) · uk пога́ний (displeasing to the eye; not aesthetically pleasing) · chr ᎤᏁᎩᎸᏗ (displeasing to the eye; not aesthetically pleasing) · uk потво́рний (displeasing to the eye; not aesthetically pleasing) · fi ruma (displeasing to the ear or some other sense) · kri wɔwɔ (displeasing to the eye; not aesthetically pleasing) · la foedus (displeasing to the eye; not aesthetically pleasing) · nn stygg (offensive to one's sensibilities or morality) · nb vond (offensive to one's sensibilities or morality) · sh ružan (displeasing to the eye; not aesthetically pleasing) · he מכוער \ מְכֹעָר (displeasing to the eye; not aesthetically pleasing) · oc lag (displeasing to the eye; not aesthetically pleasing) · fi ruma (displeasing to the eye; not aesthetically pleasing) · acw وِحِش (displeasing to the eye; not aesthetically pleasing) · ru стра́шный (displeasing to the eye; not aesthetically pleasing) · sa अश्रीर (displeasing to the eye; not aesthetically pleasing) · cmn 難聽 /难听 (displeasing to the ear or some other sense) · ha mummuna (displeasing to the eye; not aesthetically pleasing) · sn shata (displeasing to the eye; not aesthetically pleasing) · nb ekkel (displeasing to the ear or some other sense) · eo malplaĉa (displeasing to the ear or some other sense) · kl pinniitsoq (displeasing to the eye; not aesthetically pleasing) · yi ברידקע (displeasing to the eye; not aesthetically pleasing) · uz yomon (displeasing to the eye; not aesthetically pleasing) · hu ronda (displeasing to the eye; not aesthetically pleasing) · apd قَرَض (displeasing to the eye; not aesthetically pleasing) · pt feio (displeasing to the eye; not aesthetically pleasing) · yue 核突 (displeasing to the eye; not aesthetically pleasing) · yue 肉酸 (displeasing to the eye; not aesthetically pleasing) · lo ຫນ້າກຽດ (displeasing to the eye; not aesthetically pleasing) · lv neglīts (displeasing to the eye; not aesthetically pleasing) · sk škaredý (displeasing to the eye; not aesthetically pleasing) · st mobe (displeasing to the eye; not aesthetically pleasing) · lt baisus (displeasing to the eye; not aesthetically pleasing) · la dēfōrmis (offensive to one's sensibilities or morality) · af lelik (displeasing to the eye; not aesthetically pleasing) · yi מבֿוזה (displeasing to the eye; not aesthetically pleasing) · de häßlich (pre-1996) (displeasing to the eye; not aesthetically pleasing) · yue 醜怪 /丑怪 (displeasing to the eye; not aesthetically pleasing) · da grim (displeasing to the eye; not aesthetically pleasing) · el άσχημος (displeasing to the eye; not aesthetically pleasing) · ang unfæġer (displeasing to the eye; not aesthetically pleasing) · yue 醜陋 /丑陋 (displeasing to the eye; not aesthetically pleasing) · hu csúnya (displeasing to the ear or some other sense) · nn vemjeleg (displeasing to the ear or some other sense) · da væmmelig (offensive to one's sensibilities or morality) · pdt eizhich (displeasing to the eye; not aesthetically pleasing) · ms buruk (displeasing to the eye; not aesthetically pleasing) · ce ирча (displeasing to the eye; not aesthetically pleasing) · cy hyll (displeasing to the eye; not aesthetically pleasing) · bn বিশ্রী (displeasing to the eye; not aesthetically pleasing) · de hässlich (displeasing to the eye; not aesthetically pleasing) · fa بدقیافه (displeasing to the eye; not aesthetically pleasing) · pl brzydki (displeasing to the eye; not aesthetically pleasing) · nn støgg (displeasing to the ear or some other sense) · mk грд (displeasing to the eye; not aesthetically pleasing) · inh ийрча (displeasing to the eye; not aesthetically pleasing) · se ropmi (displeasing to the eye; not aesthetically pleasing) · hsb hrozny (displeasing to the eye; not aesthetically pleasing) · tg зишт (displeasing to the eye; not aesthetically pleasing) · wa laid (displeasing to the eye; not aesthetically pleasing) · ru некраси́вый (displeasing to the eye; not aesthetically pleasing) · gun vaikue (displeasing to the eye; not aesthetically pleasing) · jv ala (displeasing to the eye; not aesthetically pleasing) · ca lleig (displeasing to the eye; not aesthetically pleasing) · is ljótur (displeasing to the eye; not aesthetically pleasing) · yi מיאוס (displeasing to the eye; not aesthetically pleasing) · ro urât (displeasing to the eye; not aesthetically pleasing) · hu csúnya (displeasing to the eye; not aesthetically pleasing) · ga gránna (offensive to one's sensibilities or morality) · uk некраси́вий (displeasing to the eye; not aesthetically pleasing) · la turpis (displeasing to the eye; not aesthetically pleasing) · hy տգեղ (displeasing to the eye; not aesthetically pleasing) · mt kerha (displeasing to the eye; not aesthetically pleasing) · ast feu (displeasing to the eye; not aesthetically pleasing) · rm maltgiert (displeasing to the eye; not aesthetically pleasing) · ja 見苦しい (displeasing to the eye; not aesthetically pleasing) · haw pupuka (displeasing to the eye; not aesthetically pleasing) · gd grànnda (offensive to one's sensibilities or morality) · ar قَبِيح (displeasing to the eye; not aesthetically pleasing) · it laido (displeasing to the eye; not aesthetically pleasing) · sl gŕd (displeasing to the eye; not aesthetically pleasing) · fr vilain (displeasing to the eye; not aesthetically pleasing) · ja 醜い (displeasing to the eye; not aesthetically pleasing) · nl lelijk (displeasing to the eye; not aesthetically pleasing) · mt koroh (displeasing to the eye; not aesthetically pleasing) · yi פּאַסקודנע (displeasing to the eye; not aesthetically pleasing) · scn làdiu (displeasing to the eye; not aesthetically pleasing) · grc αἰσχρός (displeasing to the eye; not aesthetically pleasing) · ga gránna (displeasing to the eye; not aesthetically pleasing) · eu ezain (displeasing to the eye; not aesthetically pleasing) · gd grànnda (displeasing to the ear or some other sense) · ur بدسورت (displeasing to the eye; not aesthetically pleasing) · yue 難聽 /难听 (displeasing to the ear or some other sense) · scn bruttu (displeasing to the eye; not aesthetically pleasing) · af lelik (displeasing to the ear or some other sense) · it sgradevole (displeasing to the ear or some other sense) · cmn 醜 /丑 (displeasing to the eye; not aesthetically pleasing) · mn муухай (displeasing to the eye; not aesthetically pleasing) · eu itsusi (displeasing to the eye; not aesthetically pleasing) · acw بشع (displeasing to the eye; not aesthetically pleasing) · hsb wohidny (displeasing to the eye; not aesthetically pleasing) · gl feo (displeasing to the eye; not aesthetically pleasing) · izh ruma (displeasing to the eye; not aesthetically pleasing) · rm trid (displeasing to the eye; not aesthetically pleasing) · be пачва́рны (displeasing to the eye; not aesthetically pleasing) · nb stygg (displeasing to the eye; not aesthetically pleasing) · apc بشع (displeasing to the eye; not aesthetically pleasing) · ne नराम्रो (displeasing to the eye; not aesthetically pleasing) · dlm brot (displeasing to the eye; not aesthetically pleasing) · my အကျည်းတန် (displeasing to the eye; not aesthetically pleasing) · uk бридки́й (displeasing to the eye; not aesthetically pleasing) · ru уро́дливый (displeasing to the eye; not aesthetically pleasing) · sv ful (displeasing to the eye; not aesthetically pleasing) · sh ружан (displeasing to the eye; not aesthetically pleasing) · se fasti (displeasing to the eye; not aesthetically pleasing) · ro neplăcut (displeasing to the ear or some other sense) · fa زشت (displeasing to the eye; not aesthetically pleasing) · ig jọrọ njọ (displeasing to the eye; not aesthetically pleasing) · hy գեշ (displeasing to the eye; not aesthetically pleasing) · tr çirkin (displeasing to the eye; not aesthetically pleasing) · csm heceŋ·-a- (displeasing to the eye; not aesthetically pleasing) · nn fråstøytande (displeasing to the eye; not aesthetically pleasing) · bg гро́зен (displeasing to the eye; not aesthetically pleasing) · lo ໜ້າກຽດ (displeasing to the eye; not aesthetically pleasing) · fi ruma (offensive to one's sensibilities or morality) · ka უშნო (displeasing to the eye; not aesthetically pleasing) · yrl puxiwera (displeasing to the eye; not aesthetically pleasing) · yue 醜樣 /丑样 (displeasing to the eye; not aesthetically pleasing) · unm xahinakwsi (displeasing to the eye; not aesthetically pleasing) · zu ngimubi (displeasing to the eye; not aesthetically pleasing) · fa بیریخت (displeasing to the eye; not aesthetically pleasing) · ky керксүз (displeasing to the eye; not aesthetically pleasing) · mg ratsy tarehy (displeasing to the eye; not aesthetically pleasing) · mn зэвүүн (displeasing to the eye; not aesthetically pleasing) · cs škaredý (displeasing to the eye; not aesthetically pleasing) · ko 못생기다 (displeasing to the eye; not aesthetically pleasing) · de unschön (displeasing to the eye; not aesthetically pleasing) · mt ikrah (displeasing to the eye; not aesthetically pleasing) · vi xấu xí (displeasing to the eye; not aesthetically pleasing) · nn støgg (displeasing to the eye; not aesthetically pleasing) · min buruak (displeasing to the eye; not aesthetically pleasing) · hi बदसूरत (displeasing to the eye; not aesthetically pleasing) · za yakyawj (displeasing to the eye; not aesthetically pleasing) · wa laidès (displeasing to the eye; not aesthetically pleasing) · ja 格好悪い (displeasing to the eye; not aesthetically pleasing) · kk көріксіз (displeasing to the eye; not aesthetically pleasing) · eo malbela (displeasing to the eye; not aesthetically pleasing) · arz شنيع (displeasing to the eye; not aesthetically pleasing) · bcl makanos (displeasing to the eye; not aesthetically pleasing) · wa laide (displeasing to the eye; not aesthetically pleasing) · nb frastøtende (displeasing to the eye; not aesthetically pleasing) · ckb ناحەز (displeasing to the eye; not aesthetically pleasing) · yue 肉酸 (displeasing to the ear or some other sense) · mba madaut (displeasing to the eye; not aesthetically pleasing) · ko 추악하다 (displeasing to the eye; not aesthetically pleasing) · hi कुरूप (displeasing to the eye; not aesthetically pleasing) · nb stygg (displeasing to the ear or some other sense) · km ក្រញូស (displeasing to the eye; not aesthetically pleasing) · gl laido (displeasing to the eye; not aesthetically pleasing) · az çirkin (displeasing to the eye; not aesthetically pleasing) · da modbydelig (offensive to one's sensibilities or morality) · it brutto (displeasing to the eye; not aesthetically pleasing) · et inetu (displeasing to the eye; not aesthetically pleasing) · id jelek (offensive to one's sensibilities or morality) · grc δυσειδής (displeasing to the eye; not aesthetically pleasing) · da grim (displeasing to the ear or some other sense) · hi असुंदर (displeasing to the eye; not aesthetically pleasing) · yue 樣衰 /样衰 (displeasing to the eye; not aesthetically pleasing) · yo ilosiwaju (displeasing to the eye; not aesthetically pleasing) · az eybəcər (displeasing to the eye; not aesthetically pleasing) · uz xunuk (displeasing to the eye; not aesthetically pleasing) · xdq ерши (displeasing to the eye; not aesthetically pleasing) · nn stygg (displeasing to the ear or some other sense) · nn vond (offensive to one's sensibilities or morality) · nb vemmelig (displeasing to the ear or some other sense) · ga gránna (displeasing to the ear or some other sense) · nrf laid (displeasing to the eye; not aesthetically pleasing) · ccc mache'c̈homa (displeasing to the eye; not aesthetically pleasing) · fi paha (displeasing to the ear or some other sense) · nb stygg (offensive to one's sensibilities or morality) · ms hodoh (displeasing to the eye; not aesthetically pleasing) · ar بَشِع (displeasing to the eye; not aesthetically pleasing) · da ubehagelig (displeasing to the ear or some other sense) · fr laid (displeasing to the eye; not aesthetically pleasing) · yi העסלעך (displeasing to the eye; not aesthetically pleasing) · ne कुरूप (displeasing to the eye; not aesthetically pleasing) · ny wonyansa (displeasing to the eye; not aesthetically pleasing) · fr moche (displeasing to the eye; not aesthetically pleasing) · fr vilain (offensive to one's sensibilities or morality) · ajp بشع (displeasing to the eye; not aesthetically pleasing) · ru безобра́зный (displeasing to the eye; not aesthetically pleasing) · id odoh (displeasing to the eye; not aesthetically pleasing) · hsb nješwarny (displeasing to the eye; not aesthetically pleasing) · sh grd (displeasing to the eye; not aesthetically pleasing) · th น่าเกลียด (displeasing to the eye; not aesthetically pleasing) · nn vemmeleg (offensive to one's sensibilities or morality) · nn vemmeleg (displeasing to the ear or some other sense) · be бры́дкі (displeasing to the eye; not aesthetically pleasing) · eo fia (offensive to one's sensibilities or morality) · kk кейіпсіз (displeasing to the eye; not aesthetically pleasing) · ms odoh (displeasing to the eye; not aesthetically pleasing) · sh gadan (displeasing to the eye; not aesthetically pleasing) · nb vemmelig (offensive to one's sensibilities or morality) · nn stygg (displeasing to the eye; not aesthetically pleasing) · la dēfōrmis (displeasing to the eye; not aesthetically pleasing) · yi וורעדנע (displeasing to the eye; not aesthetically pleasing) · es feo (displeasing to the eye; not aesthetically pleasing) · nn ekkel (displeasing to the ear or some other sense) · io leda (displeasing to the eye; not aesthetically pleasing) · cmn 媸 (displeasing to the eye; not aesthetically pleasing) · uk нега́рний (displeasing to the eye; not aesthetically pleasing) · mhn scheila (displeasing to the eye; not aesthetically pleasing) · ang unfæġer (displeasing to the ear or some other sense) · lb ellent (displeasing to the eye; not aesthetically pleasing) · cs ošklivý (displeasing to the eye; not aesthetically pleasing) · gd grànnda (displeasing to the eye; not aesthetically pleasing) · vi xấu (displeasing to the eye; not aesthetically pleasing) · cmn 難看 /难看 (displeasing to the eye; not aesthetically pleasing) · ary خايب (displeasing to the eye; not aesthetically pleasing) · ht lèd (displeasing to the eye; not aesthetically pleasing) · id buruk (offensive to one's sensibilities or morality) · cmn 醜陋 /丑陋 (displeasing to the eye; not aesthetically pleasing) · ckb ناشیرین (displeasing to the eye; not aesthetically pleasing) · ovd liuot (displeasing to the eye; not aesthetically pleasing) · oj maanaadad (displeasing to the eye; not aesthetically pleasing)

ugly en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• (US) audio
• /ˈɜɡli/ Southern US, African-American Vernacular, fronting
• /ˈɘ̞ɡli/ Southern US, African-American Vernacular, fronting
• (US) audio
• (UK) audio
• /ˈʌɡli/

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English ugly, uggely, uglike, borrowed from Old Norse uggligr (“fearful, dreadful, horrible in appearance”), from uggr (“fear, apprehension, dread”) (possibly related to agg (“strife, hate”)), equivalent to ug + -ly. Cognate with Scots ugly, uglie, Icelandic ugglegur. Meaning softened to "very unpleasant to look at" around the late 14th century, and sense of "morally offensive" attested from around 1300. For the meaning development compare Bulgarian грозен (grozen) (< Proto-Slavic *grozьnъ), Russian стра́шный (strášnyj) (< Proto-Slavic *strašьnъ < *straxъ); Latin foedus (< Proto-Indo-European *bʰeyh₂-).

Meanings

1. (slang, uncountable) Ugliness.
   • I want your ugly / I want your disease. 2009, Lady Gaga, RedOne, Bad Romance:
2. (countable, slang, uncountable) An ugly person or thing.
3. (countable, informal, qualifier:logistics, uncountable) Any product whose size and shape prevents it from fitting neatly on a pallet.
   • Non-standard products (abnormal or 'uglies'): many distribution operations are designed to cater for standard palletized products. 2022, Alan Rushton, Phil Croucher, Peter Baker, The Handbook of Logistics and Distribution Management, page 591:
   • These are firstly for products which need a cool room; secondly for products which can be stored on a standard pallet without overhang; and thirdly for products known as "the uglies" which always overhang a standard pallet. 1983, Australian Transport, page 16:
4. (UK, countable, dated, informal, uncountable) A shade for the face, projecting from a bonnet.
   • […] camp-stools, telescopes, poetry-books, blue uglies, red petticoats, and parasols of every hue. 1857, Charles Kingsley, “(please specify the page)”, in Two Years Ago, volume (please specify |volume=I to III), Cambridge, Cambridgeshire: Macmillan and Co., →OCLC:

Forms

Translations (16)

es feo (ugly person) · eo malbelaĵo (ugly thing) · mk грозник (ugly person) · de Schreckschraube (ugly person) · es callo malayo (ugly person) · nb stygging (ugly person) · eo malbelulo (ugly person) · de Vogelscheuche (ugly person) · de Bratze (ugly person) · nn stygging (ugly person) · da øjebæ (ugly thing) · unm xahinakwsit (ugly person) · es fea (ugly person) · eo malbelulino (ugly person) · de Kackbratze (ugly person) · es callo (ugly person)

ugly en · VERB

Pronunciation

• (US) audio
• /ˈɜɡli/ Southern US, African-American Vernacular, fronting
• /ˈɘ̞ɡli/ Southern US, African-American Vernacular, fronting
• (US) audio
• (UK) audio
• /ˈʌɡli/

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English ugly, uggely, uglike, borrowed from Old Norse uggligr (“fearful, dreadful, horrible in appearance”), from uggr (“fear, apprehension, dread”) (possibly related to agg (“strife, hate”)), equivalent to ug + -ly. Cognate with Scots ugly, uglie, Icelandic ugglegur. Meaning softened to "very unpleasant to look at" around the late 14th century, and sense of "morally offensive" attested from around 1300. For the meaning development compare Bulgarian грозен (grozen) (< Proto-Slavic *grozьnъ), Russian стра́шный (strášnyj) (< Proto-Slavic *strašьnъ < *straxъ); Latin foedus (< Proto-Indo-European *bʰeyh₂-).

Meanings

1. (nonstandard, transitive) To make ugly (sometimes with up).
   • There is time when the absence of either integrity or humility has uglied the face of the church before the world and turned Christianity into just another cocoon of condemnation and hypocrisy. 2012, Najib George Awad, And Freedom Became a Public-square, page 197:
   • He had spent half of his journey mulling over how he would savour his revenge. He could already envision her pretty little form lying prone at his feet. He would take great pleasure in uglying her up a little before killing her. 2014, Jonathan Crocker, A Dream of Hope and Sorrow:
   • I move noiselessly, eat my food carefully without uglying the dining table with its remnants, fold my bedsheets in neat rectangles and place them on the bed in perfect symmetry. 2011, P. A. Krishnan, Muddy River:

Forms