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hideously

A1
Uncommon

Pronunciation

UK

  • /hˈɪdiəsli/

US

  • /ˈhɪdiəsli/

Meanings

Adverb

  1. in a very ugly, shocking, or unpleasant way

  2. to an extreme and usually unpleasant degree

Beyond the definition

Imagine a fairy tale gone wrong: a lovely castle turns into something dark and awful. That is the feeling this word brings. "Hideously" means in an extremely ugly, shocking, or unpleasant way. It often describes appearance, but it can also describe anything that feels terribly wrong or bad. A room can be hideously decorated, a joke can be hideously cruel, or a mistake can be hideously expensive. It is much stronger than simply saying "bad" or "ugly."

Examples

  1. 1

    Interior design

    The hotel lobby was hideously decorated, with gold statues and bright red carpets.

  2. 2

    Travel costs

    By the time we booked, the flights were hideously expensive.

  3. 3

    Software difficulty

    The old software was hideously complicated, even for experienced staff.

  4. 4

    Personal embarrassment

    I was hideously embarrassed when I called her by the wrong name.

See also

Similar

Shades of meaning

Contrast

Do not confuse

  • heinously

Used with (collocations)

  • hideously ugly
  • hideously deformed
  • hideously scarred

Word family

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Forms and spellings

1 form open this card.

Main spelling

  • hideouslyadverb