Grotesque describes something so strange, ugly, or distorted that it makes you feel uncomfortable or even repulsed. A grotesque statue might have twisted features and exaggerated proportions that look almost nightmarish. A grotesque mask at Halloween might combine human and animal features in ways that seem wrong and unsettling.

In stories, grotesque characters might have extreme physical features or behave in ways that seem twisted or monstrous. The word can also describe situations or actions that seem shockingly wrong or offensive, like a grotesque display of selfishness. When something is grotesque, it goes beyond merely ugly or unpleasant: it disturbs you in a way that's hard to look away from, even though part of you wants to look away.