ugliness

/ˈʌɡlinəs/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈʌɡlinəs/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈə-glē-nəs/ (ame, mw)

ugliness — 名詞

1. the state of being unappealing or displeasing to the eye because of a person's p

1.名詞B2
釋義

醜陋

外表或樣貌難看的特質

the state of being unappealing or displeasing to the eye because of a person's physical features, an object's design, or a place's condition

例句

Mayumi was sad about the ugliness of the old factory buildings near her home.

Mayumi 對家附近老舊工廠建築的醜陋感到難過。

collocation: ugliness of [place]

Sora painted the wall to hide the ugliness of the cracks and stains.

Sora 粉刷了牆壁，以遮蓋裂縫和汙漬的醜陋。

collocation: hide/conceal the ugliness of [something]

同義詞
  • hideousness

    Much stronger; suggests something extremely and shockingly ugly

  • unsightliness

    More formal, typically used for objects and places rather than people

  • unattractiveness

    Milder and more neutral; does not carry the strong negative emotion of ugliness

反義詞
  • beauty

    The direct opposite; the quality of being pleasing to the eye

用法筆記

Ugliness is an uncountable noun. It is far less common in everyday speech than the adjective 'ugly', which learners should master first.

常見錯誤

❌The uglinesses of the old town were obvious.
✅The ugliness of the old town was obvious.
💡ugliness is an uncountable noun and cannot be used in the plural form.

2. the quality of a situation, event, or interaction that feels dangerous, hostile,

2.名詞C1
釋義

醜惡

危險、暴力或衝突的狀態

the quality of a situation, event, or interaction that feels dangerous, hostile, or violent, creating a strong sense of discomfort or fear

例句

The ugliness of the argument made everyone in the room feel uncomfortable.

這場爭論的醜惡讓房間裡的每個人都感到不自在。

collocation: ugliness of [argument/conflict]

Chidi was shocked by the ugliness of the political protests on the news.

Chidi 對新聞中政治抗議活動的醜惡感到震驚。

同義詞
  • nastiness

    Similar strength; focuses more on personal meanness or spite

  • hostility

    Emphasises aggressive feelings or opposition rather than overall unpleasantness

  • brutality

    Stronger; implies actual physical violence or extreme cruelty

反義詞
  • pleasantness

    The quality of being agreeable and enjoyable

  • civility

    The quality of behaving in a polite and respectful way

用法筆記

This sense is most often used to describe situations, events, or behaviour rather than people or objects. It is common in news reporting and discussions of social conflict.

常見錯誤

❌The ugliness of the man scared me.' (if describing a person's violent behaviour)
✅The ugliness of the man's behaviour scared me.
💡this sense describes the quality of a situation or behaviour, not a person's appearance.