ugly as sin
2
7.2
- idiom
- Offensive
:
feo que te cagas (vulgar)
- The old building has been described as ugly as sin, with its crumbling walls and faded paint.
Examples
-
The experiment was ugly as sin, the resulting outcry huge, huge enough that Google engineers acknowledged the gaffe and said it wouldn't be repeated.
Blog text (8) -
Ugly as sin, I thought.
Fiction book (1998) -
Both are ugly as sin and huge.
Blog text (16) -
Ugly as sin until they bloom.
-
she's ugly as sin, but a sweet gal.
-
He's as ugly as sin and the most vicious creature I've ever set eyes upon.
-
Mr. Rochester is revoltingly coarse and as ugly as sin.
-
She is ugly as sin; I don't care if she is a product of affirmative action.
Blog text (17) -
Because he's ugly as sin, he specializes in roles that require masks, such as Humpty Dumpty during Mother Goose Days.
Fiction book (1992) -
Hell, he's ugly as sin, he smells like a skunk... and he's so ignorant he couldn't drive nails in the snow... but he's sort of easy to be around.
Synonyms
171
5.1
Very ugly and likely to make people feel shocked or disgusted
59
5.5
Causing strong dislike or disgust, like a very bad smell
37
1.8
Not pleasant to look at or to the senses
15
4.5
Unpleasant to look at
15
4.1
Not attractive, pleasant, or interesting
5
9.3
Extremely unpleasant to look at
3
9.9
Very ugly in an informal, rude way
1
8.0
Not attractive to look at, especially in the face
1
6.2
Not attractive in looks or style
1
5.0
Not pleasant to look at or to be part of
1
6.0
Not attractive and unpleasant to see or hear
1
6.6
Not attractive to look at
1
8.1
Not pleasant to look at
Ugly or unpleasant in appearance
Not in a regular or attractive form
Not attractive or interesting
Not attractive to look at
Antonyms
How Ugly
Surface Forms
Morphology
The phrase uses the familiar comparative frame 'as ... as' with the clear adjective 'ugly', so a learner who knows the words can often infer it functions as an intensifier meaning 'very/extremely ugly'. However, using 'sin' (a moral wrong) as the comparator is a figurative, idiomatic intensifier rather than a fully compositional meaning, so the exact pragmatic force is metaphorical and not entirely predictable from the parts.
Etymology
Ugly as sin uses the idea of sin, a very bad act, as a strong comparison to show something is extreme. So saying ugly as sin means 'very ugly'.