Some things in life are hard to describe using just one word. “Ugly” is one of those words. It can mean something that looks strange, messy, or even scary. But people don’t always say “ugly” directly. Sometimes, they use fun or creative comparisons to talk about something that doesn’t look nice. These are called similes.
A simile uses the words “like” or “as” to show what something looks like. Instead of saying “That is ugly,” someone might say, “It’s as ugly as a toad.” These similes make writing more interesting and help others picture what you mean. In this article, you’ll find 50 different similes for ugly. Each one has a meaning and an easy sentence to help you understand how to use it. Let’s look at them one by one.
Similes for Ugly
1. As ugly as a toad
Meaning: Very unattractive or unpleasant to look at.
Samples: That old statue was as ugly as a toad. / He thought the sweater was as ugly as a toad.
To Put it Another Way: It looked awful. / It wasn’t easy to look at.
2. As ugly as a mud fence
Meaning: Really unattractive, especially in a rough way.
Samples: The building looked as ugly as a mud fence. / That broken chair was as ugly as a mud fence.
To Put it Another Way: It looked rough and bad. / Nothing nice about it.
3. As ugly as sin
Meaning: Very unpleasant or shocking in appearance.
Samples: His old shoes were as ugly as sin. / That haircut was as ugly as sin.
To Put it Another Way: It looked really bad. / It shocked everyone.
4. As ugly as a wart on a witch’s nose
Meaning: Very gross or unpleasant-looking.
Samples: The old puppet was as ugly as a wart on a witch’s nose. / That bug looked as ugly as a wart on a witch’s nose.
To Put it Another Way: It made people look away. / It was not fun to see.
5. As ugly as a scarecrow in a storm
Meaning: Messy, worn out, and scary to look at.
Samples: After the game, I looked as ugly as a scarecrow in a storm. / His costume was as ugly as a scarecrow in a storm.
To Put it Another Way: I looked like a mess. / It scared people a bit.
6. As ugly as a smashed pumpkin
Meaning: Crushed, broken, and not nice to see.
Samples: My project ended up as ugly as a smashed pumpkin. / That toy was as ugly as a smashed pumpkin after it broke.
To Put it Another Way: It was all messed up. / Nothing looked right.
7. As ugly as a bad mood
Meaning: Something that feels or looks unpleasant like a sour feeling.
Samples: That painting felt as ugly as a bad mood. / His look was as ugly as a bad mood.
To Put it Another Way: It gave off a bad vibe. / It looked full of anger.
8. As ugly as moldy bread
Meaning: Dirty and gross in appearance.
Samples: That old sandwich was as ugly as moldy bread. / The wall looked as ugly as moldy bread.
To Put it Another Way: It looked spoiled. / It seemed dirty and old.
9. As ugly as a monster in a nightmare
Meaning: Very scary and not nice to see.
Samples: Her drawing was as ugly as a monster in a nightmare. / That mask was as ugly as a monster in a nightmare.
To Put it Another Way: It was frightening. / It looked like a horror story.
10. As ugly as tangled wires
Meaning: A mess that’s hard to fix or look at.
Samples: His desk was as ugly as tangled wires. / That game setup was as ugly as tangled wires.
To Put it Another Way: It looked all jumbled. / It made no sense.
11. As ugly as a rusted car
Meaning: Old, broken, and unpleasant to see.
Samples: That old truck was as ugly as a rusted car. / His bike looked as ugly as a rusted car after the rain.
To Put it Another Way: It looked worn out. / It was falling apart.
12. As ugly as dirty socks
Meaning: Gross and messy in a simple way.
Samples: His room was as ugly as dirty socks. / That old rag looked as ugly as dirty socks.
To Put it Another Way: It was smelly and messy. / No one wanted to touch it.
13. As ugly as an old witch’s broom
Meaning: Old, worn, and crooked-looking.
Samples: That tree was as ugly as an old witch’s broom. / Her Halloween wig looked as ugly as a witch’s broom.
To Put it Another Way: It looked twisted. / It was rough and strange.
14. As ugly as a melted crayon
Meaning: Messy and out of shape.
Samples: My art project turned out as ugly as a melted crayon. / That sculpture was as ugly as a melted crayon.
To Put it Another Way: It looked like a big mess. / Nothing looked right.
15. As ugly as a chewed-up eraser
Meaning: Damaged and unpleasant to look at.
Samples: His pencil looked as ugly as a chewed-up eraser. / That toy was as ugly as a chewed-up eraser.
To Put it Another Way: It was torn and beat up. / No shape left at all.
16. As ugly as a mud pie
Meaning: Messy and not nice to see.
Samples: The cake I made looked as ugly as a mud pie. / That art was as ugly as a mud pie.
To Put it Another Way: It was all brown and gross. / It had no neat parts.
17. As ugly as a frog in a dress
Meaning: Funny-looking and strange.
Samples: His costume was as ugly as a frog in a dress. / That doll looked as ugly as a frog in a dress.
To Put it Another Way: It didn’t match. / It looked silly and odd.
18. As ugly as a cracked mirror
Meaning: Broken and scary-looking.
Samples: The hallway was as ugly as a cracked mirror. / Her makeup looked as ugly as a cracked mirror.
To Put it Another Way: It felt off and spooky. / Things looked split and rough.
19. As ugly as a smashed sandwich
Meaning: Messed up and squished.
Samples: My lunch was as ugly as a smashed sandwich. / That clay figure looked as ugly as a smashed sandwich.
To Put it Another Way: It got crushed. / It was a flat mess.
20. As ugly as a burnt pancake
Meaning: Overcooked and dark in a bad way.
Samples: His drawing was as ugly as a burnt pancake. / That toast looked as ugly as a burnt pancake.
To Put it Another Way: It was too dark. / It looked cooked too long.
21. As ugly as spilled paint
Meaning: Messy and all over the place.
Samples: Her locker was as ugly as spilled paint. / That art looked as ugly as spilled paint.
To Put it Another Way: It had no order. / It was a colorful mess.
22. As ugly as a melted snowman
Meaning: Droopy and falling apart.
Samples: That toy looked as ugly as a melted snowman. / His sculpture was as ugly as a melted snowman.
To Put it Another Way: It was slouchy. / It looked like it gave up.
23. As ugly as a monster’s sneeze
Meaning: Gross and weird.
Samples: That slime was as ugly as a monster’s sneeze. / His experiment turned out as ugly as a monster’s sneeze.
To Put it Another Way: It looked slimy. / It was super strange.
24. As ugly as a pile of trash
Meaning: Disgusting and full of junk.
Samples: The corner of the room was as ugly as a pile of trash. / That outfit looked as ugly as a pile of trash.
To Put it Another Way: It was full of stuff. / It looked thrown together.
25. As ugly as burnt popcorn
Meaning: Bad-smelling and dark.
Samples: The kitchen looked as ugly as burnt popcorn. / His socks were as ugly as burnt popcorn.
To Put it Another Way: It smelled and looked bad. / Everything looked off.
26. As ugly as a mud puddle
Meaning: Wet, dirty, and brown.
Samples: His shirt was as ugly as a mud puddle. / That painting looked as ugly as a mud puddle.
To Put it Another Way: It had no color. / It looked sloppy.
27. As ugly as a broken toy
Meaning: Not working and rough.
Samples: That doll was as ugly as a broken toy. / My robot was as ugly as a broken toy.
To Put it Another Way: It was falling apart. / It didn’t look good.
28. As ugly as old spaghetti
Meaning: Soft, mushy, and gross.
Samples: That lunch looked as ugly as old spaghetti. / His art looked as ugly as old spaghetti.
To Put it Another Way: It was slimy. / It didn’t look fresh.
29. As ugly as a scribbled wall
Meaning: Covered in random lines and messy.
Samples: His paper was as ugly as a scribbled wall. / That project looked as ugly as a scribbled wall.
To Put it Another Way: It was hard to look at. / It made no sense.
30. As ugly as a cat fight
Meaning: Wild and not easy to watch.
Samples: Their argument was as ugly as a cat fight. / That noise was as ugly as a cat fight.
To Put it Another Way: It was loud and scary. / It made people stop and stare.
31. As ugly as dried glue
Meaning: Sticky and weird-looking.
Samples: The paper looked as ugly as dried glue. / His project turned out as ugly as dried glue.
To Put it Another Way: It looked lumpy. / It had no neat shape.
32. As ugly as a dented can
Meaning: Banged-up and not fresh-looking.
Samples: That robot costume looked as ugly as a dented can. / The lunchbox was as ugly as a dented can.
To Put it Another Way: It was crushed. / It looked worn.
33. As ugly as a creepy clown
Meaning: Strange and scary to see.
Samples: That old mask was as ugly as a creepy clown. / Her painting looked as ugly as a creepy clown.
To Put it Another Way: It gave people chills. / It looked weird and spooky.
34. As ugly as a cracked sidewalk
Meaning: Broken and uneven.
Samples: The driveway was as ugly as a cracked sidewalk. / His model house looked as ugly as a cracked sidewalk.
To Put it Another Way: It had gaps and breaks. / It looked rough.
35. As ugly as a cold pizza
Meaning: Old and unappetizing.
Samples: That lunch was as ugly as a cold pizza. / His plate looked as ugly as a cold pizza.
To Put it Another Way: It wasn’t fresh. / It didn’t look tasty.
36. As ugly as spilled cereal
Meaning: A mess that’s hard to clean.
Samples: The kitchen floor was as ugly as spilled cereal. / His drawing was as ugly as spilled cereal.
To Put it Another Way: It looked jumbled. / Everything was all over.
37. As ugly as a smelly sock
Meaning: Gross in look and thought.
Samples: That thing in his locker was as ugly as a smelly sock. / Her backpack smelled and looked as ugly as a smelly sock.
To Put it Another Way: It made people turn away. / It wasn’t nice in any way.
38. As ugly as an old mop
Meaning: Frayed, used-up, and messy.
Samples: Her hair after recess was as ugly as an old mop. / His coat looked as ugly as an old mop.
To Put it Another Way: It was frizzy and rough. / It looked overused.
39. As ugly as a messy sandwich
Meaning: Sloppy and hard to hold together.
Samples: That craft was as ugly as a messy sandwich. / His drawing turned out as ugly as a messy sandwich.
To Put it Another Way: It had stuff falling off. / It didn’t stick well.
40. As ugly as old bubblegum
Meaning: Sticky and stretched-out.
Samples: That sticker was as ugly as old bubblegum. / The paint looked as ugly as old bubblegum on the wall.
To Put it Another Way: It had a weird color. / It looked used.
41. As ugly as a twisted tree
Meaning: Bent and rough-looking.
Samples: That sculpture looked as ugly as a twisted tree. / His drawing of the tree was as ugly as a twisted tree.
To Put it Another Way: It looked crooked. / It didn’t look natural.
42. As ugly as a moldy sandwich
Meaning: Rotten and hard to look at.
Samples: Her science project looked as ugly as a moldy sandwich. / That lunchbox surprise was as ugly as a moldy sandwich.
To Put it Another Way: It looked old and gross. / It was not fresh at all.
43. As ugly as chewed gum
Meaning: Wrinkly and weird.
Samples: His art was as ugly as chewed gum. / That sticker looked as ugly as chewed gum.
To Put it Another Way: It looked like a blob. / It was wrinkled.
44. As ugly as a scary mask
Meaning: Meant to frighten people.
Samples: That toy was as ugly as a scary mask. / Her Halloween makeup was as ugly as a scary mask.
To Put it Another Way: It looked creepy. / It scared people.
45. As ugly as a bug on the wall
Meaning: Small but very unpleasant.
Samples: That spot was as ugly as a bug on the wall. / His drawing looked as ugly as a bug on the wall.
To Put it Another Way: It was tiny but gross. / It bothered people.
46. As ugly as a haunted house
Meaning: Dark, broken, and spooky.
Samples: That room was as ugly as a haunted house. / His poster looked as ugly as a haunted house.
To Put it Another Way: It looked broken and scary. / It wasn’t a fun look.
47. As ugly as dried ketchup
Meaning: Stuck-on and odd-looking.
Samples: The plate was as ugly as dried ketchup. / That paper looked as ugly as dried ketchup.
To Put it Another Way: It was stuck and messy. / It looked yucky.
48. As ugly as a wet cat
Meaning: Wet, messy, and not happy.
Samples: After the rain, I looked as ugly as a wet cat. / Her hair was as ugly as a wet cat’s fur.
To Put it Another Way: I looked a mess. / I didn’t feel my best.
49. As ugly as a glue mess
Meaning: Sticky and all over the place.
Samples: That paper looked as ugly as a glue mess. / His model ended up as ugly as a glue mess.
To Put it Another Way: It had glue everywhere. / It didn’t look neat.
50. As ugly as a bad dream
Meaning: So strange or scary that it sticks with you.
Samples: That monster was as ugly as a bad dream. / Her art looked as ugly as a bad dream.
To Put it Another Way: It didn’t look real. / It made me feel weird.
Find the Topics: Similes for Ugly
It was school picture day, and Max was not having a good morning. First, his little brother spilled juice on his shirt. Then, while running to catch the bus, he tripped in a puddle and looked as ugly as a wet cat. When he got to school, his shoes squeaked with every step, and his hair stuck up like a twisted tree.
At recess, he noticed his lunch had squished in his backpack and now looked as ugly as a smashed sandwich. “This is just great,” Max sighed, staring at his broken glasses, which looked as ugly as a cracked mirror. His friend Jake tried to cheer him up, but his smile faded when he saw Max’s face covered in dirt and looking as ugly as a mud pie.
Inside the classroom, the desks were decorated with art projects, but one stood out in a bad way. Max whispered, “That sculpture is as ugly as old spaghetti.” The class giggled. Then the teacher brought out the camera. Max sat down and posed, though he felt like a melted snowman.
As the flash went off, Max gave a half-smile, knowing he looked as ugly as a rusted car. “Maybe the picture will be blurry,” he hoped. On the way out, he saw his class photo from last year and thought, “Wow, that haircut was as ugly as a burnt pancake.”
Back home, his mom gave him a big hug. “At least your backpack didn’t look as ugly as a pile of trash like last time,” she joked. Max chuckled. “Yeah, but I still feel like a monster’s sneeze.”
Your Task:
Can you underline or list all 12 similes for “ugly” used in the story?
Answer Key
- As ugly as a wet cat
- As ugly as a twisted tree
- As ugly as a smashed sandwich
- As ugly as a cracked mirror
- As ugly as a mud pie
- As ugly as old spaghetti
- As ugly as a melted snowman
- As ugly as a rusted car
- As ugly as a burnt pancake
- As ugly as a pile of trash
- As ugly as a monster’s sneeze
- As ugly as a sculpture
Conclusion
Sometimes, just saying something is “ugly” doesn’t show the whole picture. That’s why people use similes. Similes help us describe how something looks in a more interesting way.
Using similes like “as ugly as a cracked mirror” or “as ugly as a melted snowman” can make writing and talking more fun. They help others understand what we mean more clearly. When we compare things to items we all know, it’s easier to imagine them.
Next time you want to describe something that doesn’t look so great, try using one of these similes. It can help your reader or listener picture it better without using too many words.
