English Words for "Unattractiveness"

ugly duckling

noun

/ˈʌɡli dˈʌklɪŋ/

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Idiom

Informal

an unattractive or unsuccessful person or thing that later turns attractive or successful

Example

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As a child, Jane was awkward and shy, but in her teenage years she blossomed into a beautiful young woman - a true "ugly duckling" story.

The small, struggling startup was once dismissed as an "ugly duckling", but after securing major funding and hiring top talent it's now seen as a rising star in the industry.

What is the origin of the idiom "ugly ducking" and when to use it?

The phrase "Ugly duckling" comes from a classic children's story by Hans Christian Andersen called "The Ugly Duckling," in which a young bird grows into a beautiful swan. The idiom is often used to describe situations where someone or something undergoes a remarkable positive change.

Grammatical Information:

compound noun

grotesque

Adjective

g

r

o

oʊ

t

e

ɛ

s

q

k

u

e

very ugly in a strange or funny way

minger

noun

m

i

ɪ

n

g

e

ɜ

r

Informal

a person who is unattractive or unkempt

ugly

Adjective

u

ʌ

g

l

y

i

Offensive

not pleasant to the mind or senses

beautiful

unattractive

Adjective

u

ʌ

n

a

ə

tt

t

r

a

æ

c

k

t

i

ɪ

v

e

not pleasing to the eye

attractive

hideous

Adjective

h

i

ɪ

d

eou

iə

s

ugly and extremely unpleasant to the sight

unsightly

Adjective

u

ə

n

s

i

aɪ

gh

t

l

y

i

unpleasant or unattractive in appearance

monstrous

Adjective

m

o

ɑ

n

s

t

r

ou

ə

s

very ugly to an extent of being unnatural or frightening

plain

Adjective

p

l

ai

eɪ

n

(of a person) unattractive and ordinary

unappealing

Adjective

u

ə

n

a

ə

pp

p

ea

i

l

i

ɪ

n

g

having features or qualities that are not aesthetically pleasing or attractive

appealing

homely

Adjective

h

o

oʊ

m

e

l

y

i

(of a person) not very attractive

unprepossessing

Adjective

u

ʌ

n

p

r

e

ɪ

p

o

ss

e

ss

s

i

ɪ

n

g

Disapproving

Formal

lacking appeal or noticeability

yucky

Adjective

yu

j

ə

ck

k

y

i

unpleasant or distasteful in appearance, taste, or smell

repugnant

Adjective

r

e

i

p

u

ə

g

n

a

ə

n

t

extremely unpleasant and disgusting

repulsive

Adjective

r

e

i

p

u

ə

l

s

i

ɪ

v

e

causing a strong feeling of disgust or dislike

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