grotesque

American  

[groh-tesk] / groʊˈtɛsk /

adjective

1. odd or unnatural in shape, appearance, or character; fantastically ugly or absurd; bizarre.

   Synonyms:

   wild, antic, weird, deformed, distorted

2. fantastic in the shaping and combination of forms, as in decorative work combining incongruous human and animal figures with scrolls, foliage, etc.

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noun

1. any grotesque object, design, person, or thing.

grotesque British  

/ ɡrəʊˈtɛsk /

adjective

1. strangely or fantastically distorted; bizarre

   a grotesque reflection in the mirror

2. of or characteristic of the grotesque in art

3. absurdly incongruous; in a ludicrous context

   a grotesque turn of phrase

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noun

1. a 16th-century decorative style in which parts of human, animal, and plant forms are distorted and mixed

2. a decorative device, as in painting or sculpture, in this style

3. printing the family of 19th-century sans serif display types

4. any grotesque person or thing

Related Words

See bizarre.

Other Word Forms

• grotesquely adverb
• grotesqueness noun
• ungrotesque adjective

Etymology

Origin of grotesque

First recorded in 1555–65; from French, from Italian grottesca (from pittura grottesca, opera grottesca “grotesque painting, decoration” such as was apparently found in excavated buildings), the feminine of grottesco “grotesque, uncouth,” derivative of grotta “cave.” See grotto, -esque

Compare meaning

How does grotesque compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• gargoyle vs. grotesque

Explanation

Use grotesque to describe things that are very strange and ugly in an unnatural way. If something "grosses you out," you can safely refer to it as grotesque. Grotesque also refers to a style of art that uses odd and fanciful combinations of natural, human, and animal forms. The original reference was to cave paintings found in ancient Roman ruins. Our English word is from French, from Italian grottesca pittura, "a cave painting," from grotta, "cave." Italian grotta is the source of our English word grotto.

Example Sentences

That’s what prompted VanDyke to write this grotesque dissent.

From Slate • Mar. 13, 2026

"I don't think there is anything to celebrate. It seems like a pretty grotesque situation to me," said 26-year-old Carmen Ponce, whose brother Victor Hugo was disappeared in 2020.

From Barron's • Feb. 24, 2026

Instead, his grotesque behavior backfired and has drawn even more insults and rejections.

From Salon • Feb. 4, 2026

The former’s pulsing soundtrack tears apart “Little Nemo’s” enchanting dream logic, shattering the illusion that Nemo — despite its virtuosic rendering — can be so cleanly distinguished from its accompanying grotesque depictions.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 3, 2026

I knew this because they were skulking in the bushes outside the detention room, making grotesque faces at me through the window.

From "Ungifted" by Gordon Korman

Related Words

• absurd
• bizarre
• eerie
• fanciful
• fantastic
• ludicrous
• monstrous
• odd
• outlandish
• preposterous
• ridiculous
• strange
• surrealistic
• whimsical