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Eerie vs Hideous - What's the difference?

eerie | hideous |

As adjectives the difference between eerie and hideous

is that eerie is strange, weird, fear-inspiring while hideous is frightful; shocking; extremely ugly.

eerie

English

Alternative forms

* eery

Adjective

(er)
  • strange, weird, fear-inspiring.
    • The eerie sounds seemed to come from the graveyard after midnight.
  • (Scotland) fearful, timid.
  • * 1883 , George MacDonald, Donal Grant
    • She began to feel eerie .

    Synonyms

    * See also * creepy, spooky

    Derived terms

    * eerily (adverb) * eeriness (noun) * eerisome

    hideous

    English

    Adjective

    (en adjective)
  • Frightful; shocking; extremely ugly.
    • A piteous and hideous spectacle." .
  • Distressing or offensive to the ear; horrible.
  • * 1719 ,
    • He started up, growling at first, but finding his leg broken, fell down again; and then got upon three legs, and gave the most hideous roar that ever I heard.
  • Hateful; shocking.
    • Sure, you have some hideous matter to deliver. -

    Usage notes

    * Nouns to which "hideous" is often applied: monster, creature, man, face, thing, crime, form, death, aspect, spectacle, picture, roar, sound, manner, way, disease, mistake, shape, dress, fact, act, smile.

    Synonyms

    * frightful, ghastly, grim, grisly, grotesque, horrid, dreadful, terrible

    Derived terms

    * hideosity * hideously * hideousness