monstrous

[mon-struhs]

adjective

1. frightful or hideous, especially in appearance; extremely ugly.

   Synonyms: atrocious, horrible

2. shocking or revolting; outrageous.

   monstrous cruelty.

   Synonyms: atrocious, horrible

3. extraordinarily great; huge; immense.

   a monstrous building.

4. deviating grotesquely from the natural or normal form or type.

5. having the nature or appearance of a fabulous monster.

adverb

1. extremely; exceedingly; very.

monstrous

/ ˈmɒnstrəs /

adjective

1. abnormal, hideous, or unnatural in size, character, etc

2. (of plants and animals) abnormal in structure

3. outrageous, atrocious, or shocking

   it is monstrous how badly he is treated

4. huge

   a monstrous fire

5. of, relating to, or resembling a monster

Other Word Forms

• monstrously adverb
• monstrousness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of monstrous¹

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English word from Latin word mōnstrōsus. See monster, -ous

Synonym Study

See gigantic.

Example Sentences

In a clever touch, Sphere lets us continue to see the monstrous green face, now neutered and ridiculous, mouth along as the panicked geek apologizes for being a humbug.

From Los Angeles Times

Yet in extraordinary times the constant juxtaposition of the banal and the monstrous becomes surreal.

From Salon

The Mexican filmmaker's ambitious take on the famous mad scientist and his monstrous creation is one of the centrepieces of this year's Venice Film Festival.

From BBC

Netanyahu says recognition of a Palestinian state would amount to rewarding "Hamas's monstrous terrorism".

From BBC

The UK's plans to recognise a Palestinian state have been strongly criticised by Israel, which said it "rewards Hamas's monstrous terrorism".

From BBC

Related Words

• atrocious 
• dreadful 
• egregious 
• freakish 
• frightful 
• grotesque 
• gruesome 
• heinous 
• hideous 
• horrendous 
• horrible 
• horrifying 
• inhuman 
• intolerable 
• obscene 
• odious 
• outrageous 
• preposterous 
• terrible 
• vicious