Some words are used to describe how people or things look. One of those words is “ugly.” In the United States, people sometimes use special phrases called idioms to talk about things that are not nice to look at. These idioms don’t always mean exactly what they say. Instead, they use funny or creative ways to get the point across. These expressions help people talk about looks in a way that feels less harsh or more playful.
In this article, we’ll look at 25 idioms about ugly. You’ll learn what each one means and how people in the USA use them. We’ll also show you example sentences and fun facts about where these phrases came from. This will help you better understand what people mean when they say things like “face only a mother could love.” Let’s get started.
Idioms About Ugly
1. Face only a mother could love
Meaning: Someone is very unattractive.
Example Sentence:
• That baby is so wrinkly, she’s got a face only a mother could love.
• He joked that his dog has a face only a mother could love.
Other ways to say: Really homely, not very cute
Fun Fact/Origin: This phrase is often used in a joking way. It suggests that only someone who already loves the person (like a mom) could find them adorable.
Usage: Used in the USA when teasing or joking about someone’s appearance.
2. Hit with the ugly stick
Meaning: Someone looks unattractive.
Example Sentence:
• He must’ve been hit with the ugly stick this morning.
• That car looks like it got hit with the ugly stick.
Other ways to say: Not looking good, a real mess
Fun Fact/Origin: This silly phrase sounds like someone got bonked with a stick that made them look worse.
Usage: Often used as a playful insult.
3. So ugly it could scare a dog off a meat truck
Meaning: Very, very ugly.
Example Sentence:
• That painting is so ugly it could scare a dog off a meat truck.
• He said his haircut was so bad it scared the neighbor’s cat.
Other ways to say: Hard to look at, seriously unattractive
Fun Fact/Origin: Dogs love meat. If they’re scared off, it must be bad.
Usage: Used in funny or extreme ways in the USA.
4. Ugly as sin
Meaning: Extremely unattractive.
Example Sentence:
• That statue is ugly as sin.
• He wore a suit that was ugly as sin to the party.
Other ways to say: Awful-looking, painful to see
Fun Fact/Origin: Sin is seen as bad or wrong, so comparing looks to it means very bad.
Usage: Common in older or Southern-style sayings.
5. Coyote ugly
Meaning: So ugly you’d do something drastic to get away.
Example Sentence:
• That blind date was coyote ugly.
• He called that truck coyote ugly after seeing it in daylight.
Other ways to say: Super unattractive, hard to forget
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from a joke where someone would chew their arm off (like a coyote) to escape.
Usage: Used in dark humor or strong jokes.
6. Looked like a bulldog chewing a wasp
Meaning: Someone has a sour or funny-looking face.
Example Sentence:
• She looked like a bulldog chewing a wasp when she tasted that drink.
• His mad face looked like a bulldog chewing a wasp.
Other ways to say: Weird-looking, funny face
Fun Fact/Origin: Bulldogs already have wrinkly faces. Add a sting? It’s a mess.
Usage: Used when someone makes a strange or angry face.
7. Like something the cat dragged in
Meaning: Someone looks messy or rough.
Example Sentence:
• He came to school looking like something the cat dragged in.
• After playing outside, she looked like something the cat dragged in.
Other ways to say: Scruffy, really messy
Fun Fact/Origin: Cats sometimes bring home things no one wants to see.
Usage: Used when someone looks tired, dirty, or disheveled.
8. Looks like a train wreck
Meaning: Looks very bad or messed up.
Example Sentence:
• His room looks like a train wreck.
• Her hair looked like a train wreck after gym class.
Other ways to say: Really messy, all over the place
Fun Fact/Origin: A train wreck is a big disaster—this phrase compares someone’s look to that.
Usage: Used often by teens and adults in the USA.
9. Scared the paint off the wall
Meaning: Someone or something looks very scary or bad.
Example Sentence:
• That costume scared the paint off the wall.
• His mad face could scare the paint off the wall.
Other ways to say: Super scary, shocking to see
Fun Fact/Origin: A silly exaggeration, like looks so bad it affects the walls.
Usage: Used for funny, extreme descriptions.
10. Could make a freight train take a dirt road
Meaning: So ugly that even a train would avoid it.
Example Sentence:
• Her singing face could make a freight train take a dirt road.
• That outfit could make a train turn around.
Other ways to say: Wild-looking, over-the-top ugly
Fun Fact/Origin: Freight trains don’t turn—but this ugly thing made it happen!
Usage: Mostly used in the Southern USA.
11. Looks like a bag of hammers
Meaning: Someone looks very unattractive or rough.
Example Sentence:
• He’s sweet, but he looks like a bag of hammers.
• That puppet looked like a bag of hammers after the show.
Other ways to say: Not easy on the eyes, messy-looking
Fun Fact/Origin: A bag full of tools isn’t pretty—this one compares looks to that.
Usage: Used in a joking, casual way.
12. Mug that could stop a clock
Meaning: Someone’s face is really hard to look at.
Example Sentence:
• His mug could stop a clock, no kidding.
• She made a face that could stop time.
Other ways to say: Unpleasant face, scary look
Fun Fact/Origin: “Mug” is slang for face. If a face stops time? That’s ugly.
Usage: Old-fashioned but still used for jokes.
13. Looks like ten miles of bad road
Meaning: Someone or something looks very worn out or ugly.
Example Sentence:
• He came to work looking like ten miles of bad road.
• That old doll looks like ten miles of bad road.
Other ways to say: Beat up, rough-looking
Fun Fact/Origin: Driving on bad roads is bumpy and ugly—same with this phrase.
Usage: Used when someone looks tired or rough.
14. Fell out of the ugly tree and hit every branch
Meaning: Really unattractive in many ways.
Example Sentence:
• That cake fell out of the ugly tree and hit every branch.
• He said his school picture hit every branch on the ugly tree.
Other ways to say: Not good-looking, funny-ugly
Fun Fact/Origin: A made-up “tree” with every branch adding more ugly.
Usage: Used for exaggerated teasing.
15. Looks like roadkill
Meaning: Someone looks terrible or lifeless.
Example Sentence:
• After the sleepover, she looked like roadkill.
• He got out of bed looking like roadkill.
Other ways to say: Awful, rough
Fun Fact/Origin: Roadkill means animals hit by cars—not a good look.
Usage: Used after rough days or no sleep.
16. Fugly
Meaning: Slang for extremely ugly.
Example Sentence:
• That sweater is just plain fugly.
• She said those shoes were fugly and laughed.
Other ways to say: Hideous, not cute at all
Fun Fact/Origin: A mix of “funny” and “ugly” or “freaking” and “ugly.”
Usage: Slang, not for formal use.
17. Looks like a frog in a blender
Meaning: A weird or messed-up look.
Example Sentence:
• That dance move looked like a frog in a blender.
• His hair looked like a frog in a blender after swimming.
Other ways to say: Chaotic, messy
Fun Fact/Origin: Frogs move fast and wild—blender? A total mess.
Usage: Used for very silly, wild looks.
18. Not a face for TV
Meaning: Someone doesn’t look good enough to be on TV.
Example Sentence:
• He’s smart, but not a face for TV.
• She joked that her brother’s not made for the camera.
Other ways to say: Radio face, behind-the-scenes look
Fun Fact/Origin: TV stars are usually attractive—this is the opposite.
Usage: Used in funny, light teasing.
19. Rough around the edges
Meaning: Looks or acts messy or not polished.
Example Sentence:
• That house is rough around the edges.
• He’s a nice guy, just rough around the edges.
Other ways to say: Messy, not fancy
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from objects that aren’t finished or smooth.
Usage: Can describe both looks and manners.
20. Looks like warmed-over death
Meaning: Someone looks very sick or tired.
Example Sentence:
• After staying up all night, she looked like warmed-over death.
• He came to work looking like warmed-over death.
Other ways to say: Dead tired, totally worn out
Fun Fact/Origin: “Warmed-over” leftovers aren’t great—same for this look.
Usage: Used to describe someone feeling or looking really bad.
21. Looks like someone ran over their face
Meaning: Face looks very rough or messed up.
Example Sentence:
• His face looked like someone ran over it with a truck.
• She made a face that looked like it got stepped on.
Other ways to say: Beaten up, not pretty
Fun Fact/Origin: A joke comparing a rough face to road damage.
Usage: Said in strong humor, not for formal talk.
22. A face like thunder
Meaning: An angry or scary-looking face.
Example Sentence:
• When she found out the truth, her face was like thunder.
• He walked in with a face like thunder after the game.
Other ways to say: Stormy face, really mad look
Fun Fact/Origin: Thunder is loud and scary—so is this face.
Usage: Used when someone looks very angry or frightening.
23. No oil painting
Meaning: Not very good-looking.
Example Sentence:
• He may be smart, but he’s no oil painting.
• That wall art is no oil painting.
Other ways to say: Plain, not attractive
Fun Fact/Origin: Oil paintings are seen as beautiful—this means the opposite.
Usage: Common in old British or Southern speech.
24. Built like a sack of potatoes
Meaning: Unshapely or not well-proportioned.
Example Sentence:
• That robot is built like a sack of potatoes.
• After sitting all summer, I feel built like a sack of potatoes.
Other ways to say: No shape, bulky
Fun Fact/Origin: Potatoes in a sack have no form—just a lump.
Usage: Used to describe people or objects that lack structure or shape.
25. Face like a foot
Meaning: Someone’s face is unattractive.
Example Sentence:
• He joked that he has a face like a foot.
• That mask has a face like a foot.
Other ways to say: Odd-looking, not cute
Fun Fact/Origin: Feet aren’t usually known for looks—funny, not kind.
Usage: Used in playful insults or teasing.
Quiz: Idioms About Ugly
Instructions: Choose the correct meaning for each idiom. Each question has one correct answer. Use what you’ve learned from the idioms to find the best choice.
Question Key
1. What does “face only a mother could love” mean?
a) The person is very good-looking
b) The person is very unattractive
c) The person is really famous
2. If someone was “hit with the ugly stick,” what does that mean?
a) They tripped and fell
b) They look very messy
c) They look really unattractive
3. “Like something the cat dragged in” means what?
a) Something neat and tidy
b) Someone looks rough or messy
c) Something new and shiny
4. If someone says you “look like a train wreck,” what do they mean?
a) You look confused but happy
b) You look amazing and strong
c) You look really messy or tired
5. What does “mug that could stop a clock” mean?
a) Someone looks very sweet
b) Someone looks very scary or unattractive
c) Someone is late all the time
6. If someone “fell out of the ugly tree and hit every branch,” what does that mean?
a) They fell and got hurt
b) They look funny and very unattractive
c) They are really good at climbing
7. What does “not a face for TV” mean?
a) They are not famous
b) They are shy
c) They are not very good-looking
8. “Looks like warmed-over death” means what?
a) Someone feels fresh and ready
b) Someone looks really sick or tired
c) Someone looks very excited
9. If something “looks like a bag of hammers,” what does it mean?
a) It’s very useful
b) It’s very strong
c) It looks really rough or unattractive
10. What does “face like a foot” mean?
a) The person’s face is very attractive
b) The person’s face is strange or unattractive
c) The person has big feet
Answer Key
- b) The person is very unattractive
- c) They look really unattractive
- b) Someone looks rough or messy
- c) You look really messy or tired
- b) Someone looks very scary or unattractive
- b) They look funny and very unattractive
- c) They are not very good-looking
- b) Someone looks really sick or tired
- c) It looks really rough or unattractive
- b) The person’s face is strange or unattractive
Wrapping Up
Idioms about being ugly might sound harsh, but many are used as jokes or just to describe someone in a silly way. In the USA, people often use these sayings to talk in a funny or more creative way. They help us understand feelings or looks without being too serious.
Now that you’ve learned 25 idioms, you can spot them in TV shows, books, or even everyday talk. Just remember, it’s always best to be kind, even if the words sound funny. Everyone deserves respect—no matter how they look.
