מכוער \ מְכֹעָר
mekhoár
The Hebrew word for ugly is מכוער \ מְכֹעָר (mekhoár).
מכוער \ מְכֹעָר is an adjective used to describe something or someone that is displeasing to the eye or not aesthetically pleasing.
Meaning: displeasing to the eye, not aesthetically pleasing (adj)
How does it change in a sentence?
The feminine singular form is מכוערת (mekho'aret), the masculine plural form is מכוערים (mekho'arim) and the feminine plural form is מכוערות (mekho'arot).
How do you pronounce it?
mekhoár
Did you know?
- While מכוער is the standard term, Hebrew speakers often use the phrase לא יפה (not beautiful) as a polite euphemism to avoid the harshness of the word מכוער.
- In modern Israeli slang, the word מכוער is often used to describe something 'cringe' or socially awkward rather than just physically unattractive.
- In some religious contexts, a person might describe a 'sin' as מכוער to emphasize that the act is an affront to the divine order of beauty.
Examples in context
- הוא אדם מכוערHe is an ugly person
- זה נראה מכוערIt looks ugly
Sources
- Wiktionary, “ugly” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
