grotesque
Strange and ugly in a way that is frightening or silly.
grotesque in a sentence
- The castle walls were decorated with grotesque stone faces.
- The troll pulled a grotesque face that made the children shriek.
Try an 11+ style question
Verbal reasoning papers often ask about a word like this.
Which word is closest in meaning to grotesque?
- Abeautiful
- Blovely
- Chideous
- Dattractive
Show the answer
C: hideous. The other three mean the opposite of grotesque.
Which word is most nearly opposite in meaning to grotesque?
- Augly
- Bhideous
- Cmonstrous
- Dbeautiful
Show the answer
D: beautiful. The other three mean nearly the same as grotesque.
Words that mean something similar
hideous, monstrous, ugly
Words that mean the opposite
beautiful, attractive, lovely
More words about appearance & looks
- haggard: Looking very tired and worn out.
- identical: Exactly the same in every way.
- illegible: So messy that it cannot be read.
- immaculate: Perfectly clean and tidy.
- impeccable: So perfect that not a single fault can be found.
- inconspicuous: Not easily seen or noticed.
- inedible: Not fit or safe to eat.
- intact: Whole and undamaged.
More words to explore
Sitting the 11+ in Kent, Medway or Buckinghamshire?
Plain-English guides to each test, from the councils’ own pages: Kent Test · Medway Test · Bucks Secondary Transfer Test