grotesque: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C1-C2Formal, Literary, Art criticism
Quick answer
What does “grotesque” mean?
strange or ugly in a way that is not natural or is distorted, often to an absurd or shocking degree.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
strange or ugly in a way that is not natural or is distorted, often to an absurd or shocking degree
Used to describe art (originally a style of decorative painting or sculpture with fantastic interweaving of human and animal forms), characters, situations, ideas, or behaviour that are absurdly exaggerated, bizarre, or shockingly incongruous.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant differences in definition or usage. Spelling is identical.
Connotations
Equally negative and strong in both varieties.
Frequency
Slightly more frequent in UK English in formal/literary contexts, but the difference is marginal.
Grammar
How to Use “grotesque” in a Sentence
It is grotesque that...find something grotesqueconsider something grotesquesomething becomes grotesqueVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “grotesque” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- N/A - very rare verb form not in standard use.
American English
- N/A - very rare verb form not in standard use.
adverb
British English
- The statue was grotesquely deformed.
- His face was grotesquely painted for the carnival.
American English
- The budget was grotesquely mismanaged.
- The proportions of the cartoon character were grotesquely exaggerated.
adjective
British English
- The gargoyle's grotesque features glared down from the cathedral.
- The tabloid published a grotesque invasion of the family's privacy.
American English
- The politician's lies had become a grotesque distortion of the truth.
- He made a grotesque attempt at imitating her accent.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rare. Could describe an egregiously unfair deal or a wildly disproportionate executive pay package.
Academic
Common in literature, art history, cultural studies, and political commentary to describe exaggerated or distorted representations.
Everyday
Used to express strong disapproval of something seen as deeply unnatural or ugly (e.g., 'The plastic surgery results were grotesque').
Technical
In typography, 'grotesque' (or 'grotesk') denotes a family of sans-serif typefaces (e.g., Franklin Gothic). This is a neutral, historical term.
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “grotesque”
- Using it as a synonym for 'big' or 'large' (incorrect).
- Misspelling as 'groteque'.
- Overusing in informal contexts where 'weird' or 'ugly' would suffice.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Extremely rarely. It might be used positively in avant-garde art criticism to praise something for its power to shock or challenge norms, but this is an exception. It is overwhelmingly negative.
'Bizarre' simply means very strange or unusual. 'Grotesque' adds a strong layer of ugliness, distortion, and often moral repugnance. A bizarre hat is strange; a grotesque hat is disturbingly misshapen and ugly.
Yes. 'The grotesque' can refer to the quality itself ('the story emphasised the grotesque') or to a specific grotesque object or figure (especially in art).
In British English, it's pronounced like the 'o' in 'go' (/ɡrəʊ-/). In American English, it's pronounced like the 'o' in 'grow' (/ɡroʊ-/).
strange or ugly in a way that is not natural or is distorted, often to an absurd or shocking degree.
Grotesque is usually formal, literary, art criticism in register.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “A grotesque parody of justice”
- “The situation descended into the grotesque.”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a Gargoyle (GROtesque) on a ROOF, twisted and ugly, making you say 'GROSS!'
Conceptual Metaphor
DISTORTION IS GROTESQUE (a twisting of form reveals inner corruption)
Practice
Quiz
In which context would 'grotesque' be NEUTRAL or technical rather than negative?