What does “grotesque” mean?

grotesque


Oh, this is a great word —

Something "grotesque" is so strange, ugly, or twisted that it almost shocks you. It's beyond just "weird" — it's deeply uncomfortable to look at or think about.

Like, imagine a painting where human faces are melting into animal bodies with too many eyes. You'd say, "That's grotesque." Or if someone describes a car accident in way too much detail, a friend might say, "Okay, that's kind of grotesque, stop."

You can also use it when something is so unfair or wrong that it feels almost unreal — like, "It's grotesque that some people have so much money while others have nothing to eat."

So basically, grotesque = shockingly ugly, twisted, or wrong in a way that makes you feel uneasy.

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