Sometimes, you need to describe something that isn't exactly beautiful. In French, just like in English, there isn't just one way to say "ugly". Whether you're talking about an unappealing piece of art, an unfortunate outfit, or even a less-than-charming personality, having a range of vocabulary can make your descriptions much more nuanced and expressive. Let's dive into 9 different ways to say "ugly" in French, so you can choose the perfect word for any situation!

The standard 'ugly' – laid/laide

The French adjective laid (masculine) and laide (feminine) is the most direct and common word for 'ugly' in French.

Like many French adjectives, laid/laide must agree in gender and number with the noun it modifies. Here’s how it breaks down:laid - masculine singular (e.g., un homme laid)laide - feminine singular (e.g., une femme laide)laids - masculine plural (e.g., des hommes laids)laides - feminine plural (e.g., des femmes laides)

Laid/laide can be used to describe people, animals, or objects. While direct, it's generally considered a strong word, so context and tone are important.

While laid/laide directly translates to 'ugly', its usage can sometimes feel harsher than its English counterpart, especially when referring to people. There are often softer ways to express unattractiveness.

Adjectives like laid/laide typically follow the noun they modify in French. For example, you would say une maison laide (an ugly house), not une laide maison.

For example, you might say Ce pull est laid (This sweater is ugly) or Elle a une voiture laide (She has an ugly car). When describing a person, Il est laid (He is ugly) is very direct.

To soften the expression, especially about people, French speakers might use phrases like pas très beau/belle (not very beautiful) or peu attirant(e) (unattractive). For objects, moche is a more informal and common alternative for 'ugly'.

Understanding the context is crucial. While laid/laide is unambiguous in its meaning, the social implications of calling someone or something 'ugly' vary. For objects, it's generally fine; for people, exercise caution and consider alternatives.

In French culture, direct criticism of someone's physical appearance using laid/laide can be considered impolite or even offensive, particularly in formal settings or among new acquaintances. It's often reserved for close friends in jest or for inanimate objects.

💡 *Le tableau est laid. (The painting is ugly.)*Elle a trouvé la robe laide. (She found the dress ugly.)*Ces chaussures sont vraiment laides ! (These shoes are really ugly!)*Il n'est pas laid, il a juste un style différent. (He's not ugly, he just has a different style.)*Je ne trouve pas ce chat laid du tout. (I don't find this cat ugly at all.)

The informal 'ugly' or 'unsightly' – moche

In French, the adjective moche is a common and informal way to say 'ugly' or 'unsightly'. It can apply to people, objects, or even situations, making it a versatile term in everyday conversation.

Moche is generally considered a familiar or colloquial term. While not inherently offensive in all contexts, its directness makes it less formal than adjectives like laid(e) (ugly) or vilain(e) (naughty/ugly).

Beyond physical appearance, moche can describe something of poor quality, unpleasant, or bad. For instance, you might hear 'une situation moche' (an ugly/bad situation) or 'un temps moche' (ugly/bad weather).

A key characteristic of moche is that it is invariable. This means its form does not change for gender (masculine/feminine) or number (singular/plural), simplifying its use in sentences.

While laid(e) is the more standard and often harsher term for 'ugly', moche often carries a slightly softer, more colloquial, or even subjective tone. It can imply 'not pretty' or 'not good-looking' rather than severely ugly, making it common for casual criticism.

💡 * Ce pull est vraiment moche. (This sweater is really ugly.)

Elle a eu une journée moche. (She had an ugly/bad day.)

Ces chaussures sont un peu moches, non ? (These shoes are a bit unsightly, aren't they?)

Le temps est moche aujourd'hui. (The weather is ugly/bad today.)

Ne sois pas moche avec lui. (Don't be mean/ugly to him.)

The 'dreadful' or 'frightful' – affreux/affreuse

The French adjective affreux (masculine singular) and affreuse (feminine singular) translates most directly to 'dreadful' or 'frightful' in English.

Like many French adjectives, affreux/affreuse changes form to agree with the noun it modifies. Here’s how it works: affreux (masculine singular), affreuse (feminine singular), affreux (masculine plural), affreuses (feminine plural).

While 'dreadful' and 'frightful' are common translations, affreux/affreuse can also mean 'awful,' 'terrible,' 'hideous,' or 'horrible,' depending on the context. It expresses a strong negative quality.

This adjective is versatile and can describe a wide range of unpleasant things. You might use it for a terrible appearance, a dreadful situation, frightful weather, or an awful smell.

Regardless of the specific translation, remember that affreux/affreuse always conveys a significant degree of negativity or unpleasantness. It’s a strong word for something truly bad.

💡 * Il fait un temps affreux aujourd'hui. (The weather is dreadful today.)

Elle a eu une journée affreuse. (She had an awful day.)

Ce pull est affreux ! (This sweater is hideous!)

Ils ont fait des bêtises affreuses. (They did some terrible mischief.)

Son nouveau look est affreux. (His new look is dreadful.)

The 'hideous' or 'ghastly' – hideux/hideuse

The adjectives hideux (masculine) and hideuse (feminine) translate to "hideous" or "ghastly" in English, conveying a strong sense of ugliness or repulsion.

As with many French adjectives, hideux/hideuse must agree in gender and number with the noun it modifies. The masculine singular form is hideux, the feminine singular is hideuse. For plural, it's hideux for masculine plural and hideuses for feminine plural.

Hideux/hideuse is a powerful adjective used to describe something extremely ugly, repulsive, or morally abhorrent. It's much stronger than simply "ugly" (laid/laide).

While often used for physical appearance, hideux/hideuse can also describe abstract concepts, situations, or acts that are morally reprehensible or extremely unpleasant.

💡 * Ce monstre est hideux. (This monster is hideous.)

Cette robe est vraiment hideuse. (This dress is really ghastly.)

Ils ont commis des actes hideux. (They committed hideous acts.)

La situation est hideuse. (The situation is ghastly/horrible.)

Ces couleurs sont hideuses ensemble. (These colors are hideous together.)

The 'repulsive' or 'revolting' – repoussant/repoussante

In French, repoussant (masculine) and repoussante (feminine) are adjectives used to describe something or someone that is repulsive, revolting, or disgusting.

As an adjective, repoussant/repoussante must agree in gender and number with the noun it modifies. Use repoussant for masculine singular nouns and repoussante for feminine singular nouns. For plurals, you'd use repoussants and repoussantes respectively.

This word can be applied to a variety of things: people, objects, ideas, smells, tastes, or even behaviors that evoke a strong sense of aversion or disgust.

It conveys a strong negative feeling, implying something so unpleasant that it makes you want to push it away or avoid it entirely. It's more intense than just 'unpleasant' or 'disagreeable'.

Derived from the verb repousser (to push back, to repel), repoussant literally means 'repelling' or 'pushing away', hence its connotation of being repulsive.

💡 * L'odeur de cette poubelle est vraiment repoussante. (The smell of this trash can is really repulsive.)

Son attitude était si repoussante que personne ne voulait lui parler. (His attitude was so repulsive that no one wanted to talk to him.)

Je trouve cette idée complètement repoussante. (I find this idea completely revolting.)

Le film contenait des scènes assez repoussantes. (The movie contained some rather repulsive scenes.)

The 'filthy' or 'disgusting' (often implying extreme ugliness) – immonde

The French adjective immonde translates directly to "filthy," "disgusting," or "horrid." It's a strong word used to describe something that is extremely unpleasant, often evoking a sense of revulsion or strong disapproval.

While it can refer to physical dirt or squalor, immonde frequently extends beyond mere cleanliness to describe something morally repugnant, utterly repulsive, or incredibly ugly. Think of it as a much stronger version of sale (dirty) or dégoûtant (disgusting).

This term is used to express extreme aversion and is often applied to things that are visually offensive, morally unacceptable, or produce an unbearable sensory experience (like a smell). It carries a dramatic weight, emphasizing the severity of the unpleasantness.

You'll often hear immonde used in contexts like une odeur immonde (a disgusting smell), une chose immonde (a hideous/disgusting thing), or un acte immonde (a vile/horrible act). It's not a casual word; it's reserved for truly offensive situations.

💡 *Cet endroit est vraiment immonde, je ne peux pas rester ici. (This place is really filthy/disgusting, I can't stay here.)
*Il a commis un acte immonde qui a choqué tout le monde. (He committed a vile/horrible act that shocked everyone.)
*L'odeur qui venait de la poubelle était immonde. (The smell coming from the trash can was disgusting.)
*Son nouveau tableau est une chose immonde, sans aucun goût. (His new painting is a hideous thing, without any taste.)

The 'ungraceful' or 'unattractive' – disgracieux/disgracieuse

The French adjective disgracieux (masculine) or disgracieuse (feminine) describes something or someone that is ungraceful, awkward, or unattractive.

This term is used to denote a lack of grace, elegance, or aesthetic appeal. It can apply to physical appearance, movements, or even objects and situations that are considered unsightly or poorly arranged.

As an adjective, disgracieux must agree in gender and number with the noun it modifies. The feminine form is disgracieuse, and the plural forms are disgracieux (masculine plural) and disgracieuses (feminine plural).

💡 * Ses gestes étaient lents et disgracieux. (His movements were slow and ungraceful.)

Elle a trouvé la robe très disgracieuse. (She found the dress very unattractive.)

L'ancienne façade du bâtiment était plutôt disgracieuse. (The old facade of the building was rather unsightly.)

Sa posture un peu disgracieuse le rendait moins confiant. (His somewhat awkward posture made him less confident.)

The 'unpleasant' or 'nasty' (can also mean ugly, especially for things) – vilain/vilaine

The French adjective vilain (masculine) and vilaine (feminine) is a versatile word with several shades of meaning, primarily revolving around unpleasantness or naughtiness.

When referring to people or their actions, vilain/vilaine most commonly translates to "nasty," "mean," "unpleasant," or "naughty." It's often used in a slightly informal context, especially with children.

For inanimate objects or abstract concepts, vilain/vilaine can mean "ugly" or "bad." For example, a "vilain temps" refers to bad weather, and a "vilaine blessure" is a nasty wound.

While it can describe something truly bad, it often carries a lighter, almost playful tone when used with children, similar to calling a child "naughty" in English. However, for adults, it implies a more genuine unpleasantness or meanness.

💡 * C'est un vilain garçon, il a cassé mon jouet. (He's a naughty boy, he broke my toy.)

Elle a fait une vilaine remarque. (She made a nasty remark.)

Le temps est vilain aujourd'hui, il pleut beaucoup. (The weather is ugly/bad today, it's raining a lot.)

Cette robe est un peu vilaine. (This dress is a bit ugly.)

Ne sois pas vilain avec ta sœur. (Don't be mean to your sister.)

The 'deformed' or 'misshapen' – difforme

How do you say 'deformed' or 'misshapen' in French? The most common and direct translation is the adjective difforme.

Difforme describes something with an abnormal, irregular, or distorted shape, often implying a deviation from the norm. It carries a strong, often negative, connotation.

As an adjective, difforme is invariable for gender but agrees in number. For example, un objet difforme (a deformed object) or des formes difformes (deformed shapes).

While difforme is precise, you might also encounter déformé (deformed, often implying a change from an original state) or malformé (malformed, implying a defect from development), depending on the specific nuance.

💡 * Il a vu une ombre difforme dans la nuit. (He saw a misshapen shadow in the night.)

La statue avait des membres difformes. (The statue had deformed limbs.)

Une créature difforme est apparue de l'obscurité. (A misshapen creature appeared from the darkness.)

Des fruits difformes sont souvent jetés. (Misshapen fruits are often thrown away.)

Son raisonnement était difforme et difficile à suivre. (His reasoning was distorted and difficult to follow.)

Are there other ways to say 'ugly' in French?

Our list features the most common ways to say 'ugly' in French. However, like any language, French is rich with nuances, and you'll find a range of terms, from informal slang to more descriptive or even poetic ways to express the concept of something being visually unappealing.

To delve deeper, consider doing an online search for 'synonymes de laid' or 'argot pour laid' to discover more informal or regional expressions. Be mindful that some terms might be offensive or very specific to certain contexts.

When you encounter a new word for 'ugly,' always check its exact meaning and connotations. Usage can vary significantly, and what's acceptable in one situation might be inappropriate in another. Observe how native speakers use these words in real-world contexts.

As you immerse yourself in French media — books, films, music, or conversations — pay close attention to how 'ugliness' or lack of beauty is described. You'll likely pick up on subtle distinctions and discover terms not covered in standard dictionaries.

For a comprehensive list of synonyms and related expressions, the WordReference entry for laid is an excellent starting point. It often includes nuances, common phrases, and even a forum for user discussions.

I hope this article has broadened your vocabulary for describing things as 'ugly' in French. Remember, language is a reflection of culture, and even words for negative concepts carry their own unique flavor. As Antoine de Saint-Exupéry once said, "On ne voit bien qu'avec le cœur. L'essentiel est invisible pour les yeux." (One sees clearly only with the heart. What is essential is invisible to the eye.)

9 ways to say "ugly" in French