Meaning & use

grotesque

adjective·Advanced

Strange, distorted, or exaggerated in a way that is comically or repulsively ugly.

See it in a sentence

The carnival mirror twisted his reflection into a grotesque, elongated shape.

Critics called the film's violence grotesque and unnecessary to the story.

A note on using this word

Grotesque can describe physical distortion, as with gargoyle carvings, or moral excess, as with shockingly inappropriate behavior.

Words with a similar meaning

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Words with an opposite meaning

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