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If you abhor something, you dislike it very much, usually because you think it’s immoral.
If you abominate something, you hate it because you think it is extremely wrong and unacceptable.
To accentuate something is to emphasize it or make it more noticeable.
Antipathy is a strong feeling of dislike or hostility towards someone or something.
Baroque art and architecture are highly elaborate, overly showy, and filled with excessive ornamentation.
When you are captivated by someone or something, you are enchanted, fascinated, or delighted by them or it.
A person who is comely is attractive; this adjective is usually used with females, but not always.
A man who is dapper has a very neat and clean appearance; he is both fashionable and stylish.
A man who is debonair is sophisticated, charming, friendly, and confident.
Desiderata are a wish list of things that are considered highly desirable or necessary to have.
If you say a person’s actions are despicable, you think they are extremely unpleasant or nasty.
If something enthralls you, it makes you so interested and excited that you give it all your attention.
Someone who has a haggard appearance looks very tired, worn, thin, and exhausted.
If you describe something as heinous, you mean that is extremely evil, shocking, and bad.
Something loathsome is offensive, disgusting, and brings about intense dislike.
Something macabre is so gruesome or frightening that it causes great horror in those who see it.
If something is noisome, it is extremely unpleasant, especially because it is very dirty or has an awful smell.
If you describe people or things as odious, you think that they are extremely unpleasant.
Animals preen when they smooth out their fur or their feathers; humans preen by making themselves beautiful in front of a mirror.
When you possess pulchritude, you are beautiful.
Repugnance is a strong feeling of dislike for something or someone you find horrible and offensive.
Something that is repulsive is offensive, highly unpleasant, or just plain disgusting.
People or things that are resplendent are beautiful, bright, and impressive in appearance.
If something is reviled, it is intensely hated and criticized.
When you experience revulsion, you feel a great deal of disgust or extreme dislike for something.
Something that is tantalizing is desirable and exciting; nevertheless, it may be out of reach, perhaps due to being too expensive.
Something is toothsome when it is tasty, attractive, or pleasing in some way; this adjective can apply to food, people, or objects.
Something that is unadorned is not made more attractive with ornament or decoration.
Something or someone that is unprepossessing is not impressive or is unattractive.
If you describe something as unsavory, you mean that it is unpleasant or morally unacceptable.
An unsightly person presents an ugly, unattractive, or disagreeable face to the world.
Something vile is evil, very unpleasant, horrible, or extremely bad.
Someone who is winsome is attractive and charming.
Adj.
grotesque
groh-TESK
Context
The grotesque figure of the zombie was so distorted in appearance that it was highly disturbing. Its bizarre face and grotesque build were so scary to look at, and it really grossed me out. I prefer lighter movies that feature pleasant characters, not these horror films that feature grotesque or extremely ugly characters meant to shock and creep you out.
Quiz:Try again!
What is an example of something grotesque?
A school bus that is painted pink with brightly colored flowers.
An erupting volcano that is raining ash and lava on a city below.
A five-headed monster with giant feet and tiny arms.
It’s there that our uncommon hero flourished, unleashing the dry wit and romantic imagination hidden beneath his grotesque appearance.
—
New York Post
The plot of The Host isn’t anything spectacular: Cute girl is captured by grotesque monster; her bumbling family hunts the monster.
—
Wired
The embodiment of this mix is the Joker. Somewhere between Moriarty and the Phantom of the Opera, he is both a “ruthless cunning criminal” . . . and a grotesque monster who lurks in a laboratory hidden beneath a graveyard.
—
BBC
Whether beautiful or grotesque or both, an image or an object can force the viewer to look at it and accept its existence.
—
Forbes
Grotesque ultimately comes from a root word meaning “grotto,” a cave or cavern (natural or artificially constructed) “hidden” away. Pictures found in excavated Roman buildings had elements of the grotesque in them, that is, they were somewhat “bizarre” or “outlandish,” and hence were appropriately “resembling” that which should be “hidden” away—and so were.
Word Theater
Rick and Morty The monster is grotesque.
The panel shows a small video clip of either the word in actual use or a scene that represents the meaning of a word. This not only breaks up the monotony of studying words but also provides another avenue to strengthen word meaning. Enjoy!
