Grotesque — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

noun adjective /grō-ˈtesk/ gro·tesque

Meaning & Definition of Grotesque

Grotesque (noun)

  1. a style of decorative art characterized by fanciful or fantastic human and animal forms often interwoven with foliage or similar figures that may distort the natural into absurdity, ugliness, or caricature
  2. a piece of work in this style
  3. one that is grotesque

Grotesque (adjective)

  1. of, relating to, or having the characteristics of the grotesque
  2. fanciful, bizarre
  3. departing markedly from the natural, the expected, or the typical

Grotesque (adjective) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. disagreeable to one's aesthetic or artistic sense

    "the gaudy, overdecorated interior of the gambling casino was just too grotesque for my taste"

    similar: grating, harsh, jarring, unaesthetic
    related: acid, flashy, garish, gaudy, loud, tawdry, tacky, tasteless, vulgar, inartistic, unartistic, artless, clumsy, crude, graceless, inelegant, rude, uncouth, uncultured, unrefined, disgusting, gross, obscene, repugnant, repulsive, ugly, disagreeable, jolting, unpleasant, unpleasing, blaring, clashing, discordant, disharmonious, dissonant, inharmonious, jangling, off-key, ragged, raspy, raucous, unmelodious, unmusical, bizarre, kinky, odd, outlandish, shocking
    opposite: aesthetic
    near: artful, artistic, attractive, beautiful, becoming, comely, agreeable, appealing, felicitous, good, harmonious, harmonizing, pleasing, seemly, calming, comforting, soothing, softened, subdued, cultured, elegant, graceful, gracious, polished, refined, tasteful

  2. unpleasant to look at

    "that bloody Halloween mask is grotesque"

    similar: hideous, homely, ill-favored, monstrous, ugly, unappealing, unattractive, unbeautiful, uncomely, unhandsome, unlovely, unpleasing, unpretty, unsightly, vile
    related: abhorrent, abominable, appalling, awful, disgusting, distasteful, dreadful, gross, horrible, horrid, loathsome, nauseating, nauseous, noisome, repellent, repugnant, repulsive, revolting, sickening, frumpish, frumpy, plain, unaesthetic, unbecoming, unshapely
    opposite: aesthetic, attractive, beauteous, beautiful, bonny (chiefly British), comely, cute, drop-dead, fair, fetching, good-looking, goodly, gorgeous, handsome, knockout, lovely, pretty, ravishing, seemly, sightly, stunning, taking, well-favored
    near: shapely, imposing, impressive, prepossessing

Grotesque (noun) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. a strange or horrible and often frightening creature

    "a gallery of grotesques from some horror movie"

    similar: grotesquerie, monster, monstrosity, ogre
    related: ogress, Frankenstein, bête noire, bogey, bugaboo, bugbear, banshee, bogeyman, demon, devil, fiend, fright, imp, incubus, horror, terror, abomination, anathema, abnormality, freak, mutant, mutation

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Grotesque

The most common words with a similar meaning to Grotesque:

grating, harsh, jarring, unaesthetic, hideous, homely, ill-favored, monstrous, ugly, unappealing, unattractive, unbeautiful, uncomely, unhandsome, unlovely, unpleasing, unpretty, unsightly, vile, grotesquerie, monster, monstrosity, ogre

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Grotesque

Words with the opposite meaning of Grotesque:

aesthetic, attractive, beauteous, beautiful, bonny, comely, cute, drop-dead, fair, fetching, good-looking, goodly, gorgeous, handsome, knockout, lovely, pretty, ravishing, seemly, sightly, stunning, taking, well-favored

Related Words for Grotesque

acid, flashy, garish, gaudy, loud, tawdry, tacky, tasteless, vulgar, inartistic, unartistic, artless, clumsy, crude, graceless, inelegant, rude, uncouth, uncultured, unrefined, disgusting, gross, obscene, repugnant, repulsive, disagreeable, jolting, unpleasant, blaring, clashing

Near Antonyms of Grotesque

artful, artistic, becoming, agreeable, appealing, felicitous, good, harmonious, harmonizing, pleasing, calming, comforting, soothing, softened, subdued, cultured, elegant, graceful, gracious, polished, refined, tasteful, shapely, imposing, impressive, prepossessing

Word Forms of Grotesque

Derived words: grotesquely (adverb), grotesqueness (noun)

Origin & Etymology of Grotesque

Middle French & Old Italian; Middle French, from Old Italian (pittura) grottesca, literally, cave painting, feminine of grottesco of a cave, from grotta see grotto

First known use: 1561

Frequently Asked Questions about Grotesque

What does "Grotesque" mean?

"Grotesque" means a style of decorative art characterized by fanciful or fantastic human and animal forms often interwoven with foliage or similar figures that may distort the natural into absurdity, ugliness, or caricature. As an a noun and an adjective, it is defined as: a style of decorative art characterized by fanciful or fantastic human and animal forms often interwoven with foliage or similar figures that may distort the natural into absurdity, ugliness, or caricature. It has 3 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Grotesque"?

Other words for "Grotesque" include grating, harsh, jarring, unaesthetic, hideous, homely, ill-favored and monstrous. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Grotesque" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Grotesque"?

There are 111 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Grotesque". Common alternatives include grating, harsh, jarring, unaesthetic, hideous, homely, ill-favored, monstrous, ugly and unappealing.

What is the opposite of "Grotesque"?

Antonyms of "Grotesque" include aesthetic, attractive, beauteous, beautiful, bonny, comely, cute and drop-dead. Near antonyms include artful, artistic, becoming and agreeable.

How do you use "Grotesque" in a sentence?

Examples of "Grotesque" in a sentence: "the gaudy, overdecorated interior of the gambling casino was just too grotesque for my taste"; "that bloody Halloween mask is grotesque"; "a gallery of grotesques from some horror movie".

Is "Grotesque" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Grotesque" can be used as a noun and an adjective, depending on the context.

How do you pronounce "Grotesque"?

"Grotesque" is pronounced /grō-ˈtesk/ and divided into syllables as gro·tesque.

What is the origin of the word "Grotesque"?

"Grotesque" comes from Middle French & Old Italian; Middle French, from Old Italian (pittura) grottesca, literally, cave painting, feminine of grottesco of a cave, from grotta see grotto. First known use: 1561.