ugly

ugly — 形容詞

1. describes a person, object, or place whose physical appearance is not pleasing t

1.形容詞A2
釋義

難看的

外觀不美、讓人不想看的

describes a person, object, or place whose physical appearance is not pleasing to look at — for example, a face with deep scars, an old sofa with stains and ripped fabric, or a building covered in peeling paint.

例句

The old armchair was covered in ugly stains and had ripped fabric.

那張舊扶手椅上有難看的污漬,布料也破了。

collocation: ugly stains

Amira felt self-conscious about the ugly scar on her knee from the bike accident.

Amira 因為膝蓋上來自腳踏車事故的難看疤痕而感到不自在。

collocation: ugly scar

同義詞
  • hideous

    much stronger and more extreme than 'ugly'; suggests something is shockingly unpleasant to look at

  • unsightly

    more formal; usually describes buildings, objects, or views rather than people

  • unattractive

    softer and more polite than 'ugly'; often a deliberate understatement

  • plain

    describes a person, especially a woman, who is not especially good-looking in a neutral, non-harsh way

反義詞
  • beautiful

    the most direct opposite; describes something very pleasing to look at

  • attractive

    describes something pleasing in appearance, often in a way that draws positive attention

文法句型

ugly + noun

be/look + ugly

常見錯誤

The weather is ugly today.
The weather is nasty today.
💡In natural English, 'ugly' is not used to describe bad weather; use 'nasty' or 'bad' instead.
She called me ugly.' (too blunt when describing a person)
She said I was not very attractive.
💡Calling a person 'ugly' is very direct and can be hurtful; softer alternatives like 'plain' or 'unattractive' are more tactful.

2. describes a situation, event, or way of behaving that is unpleasant because it i

2.形容詞B2
釋義

兇險的

涉及暴力或敵意的場面

describes a situation, event, or way of behaving that is unpleasant because it involves or suggests violence, hostility, or danger — for example, a crowd that starts shouting and pushing, or the tense atmosphere in a room just before a fight begins.

例句

The argument outside the bar quickly turned ugly when bottles were thrown.

酒吧外的爭執在有人扔酒瓶後迅速變得兇險。

turned ugly

Sora could sense the ugly mood as the crowd began to push and shout.

Sora 能感覺到群眾開始推擠叫囂時那股兇險的氣氛。

collocation: ugly mood

同義詞
  • menacing

    suggests an intention to cause harm; stronger and more personal than 'ugly'

  • hostile

    focuses on unfriendly or aggressive behaviour from a person or group

  • nasty

    similar in meaning but slightly less intense; can describe both situations and people's behaviour

反義詞
  • peaceful

    describes a situation free from violence or disturbance

  • friendly

    describes interactions that are warm and without hostility

文法句型

get/turn + ugly

ugly + noun (scene/fight/mood)

用法筆記

This sense is very common in fixed expressions like 'turn ugly' and 'get ugly', where the subject is typically a situation, argument, or crowd — not a person. You would not say 'He is ugly' to mean he is threatening; use 'menacing' or 'aggressive' instead.

常見錯誤

The horror movie was really ugly.
The horror movie was really disturbing.
💡'Ugly' for threatening situations is usually reserved for real-life conflict, not fiction or entertainment.
He got ugly with me.
He got aggressive with me.
💡While some speakers use 'get ugly with someone', the standard expression is 'get aggressive' or 'get hostile'.

3. describes something that causes a disagreeable experience through hearing, smell

3.形容詞B1
釋義

刺耳;難聞

視覺以外感官覺得不舒服

describes something that causes a disagreeable experience through hearing, smell, or taste rather than through sight — for instance, a harsh and grating noise, a bad smell rising from a blocked drain, or a bitter taste that you want to spit out.

例句

An ugly sound came from the car engine just before it stopped working.

汽車引擎在停止運轉前發出了一聲刺耳的聲音。

ugly sound

Hamza held his nose as an ugly smell rose from the kitchen drain.

Hamza 捏住鼻子,因為一股難聞的氣味從廚房水槽的排水管冒上來。

ugly smell

同義詞
  • unpleasant

    broader and more general; works for all senses and is more neutral in tone

  • disgusting

    much stronger; suggests a feeling of revulsion, especially for smells and tastes

  • nasty

    informal; can describe bad smells, tastes, or sounds with a slightly stronger negative feeling

反義詞
  • pleasant

    describes something that gives a positive sensory experience

  • sweet

    specifically for taste and smell; describes a gentle, pleasant quality

文法句型

ugly + sense noun (sound/smell/taste)

用法筆記

This sense is less common than sense 1 (visual ugliness). It is used most naturally with specific sensory nouns: 'ugly sound', 'ugly smell', 'ugly taste'. It is rarely used for touch ('ugly texture' is possible but unusual).

常見錯誤

This soup tastes ugly.
This soup tastes awful.
💡While 'ugly taste' is acceptable in writing, in everyday speech 'awful' or 'disgusting' are much more natural for describing bad food or drink.

ugly — 副詞