ugly as sin

In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.

Meaning · English

Extremely ugly.

Register: derogatory

Where it’s used: Used American English

Examples

It was easy enough to see that the child was a changeling, for it wasn't like other children at all it screamed and cried, as if a knife stuck in it, and it wheezed and hit about with its arms like a huldre-cat, and was as ugly as sin.

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).

Common questions

What does “ugly as sin” mean?

Extremely ugly.

Is “ugly as sin” formal or informal?

ugly as sin is generally derogatory.