Picking a disgusting synonym means asking yourself one thing first: does it turn your stomach or your conscience? Spoiled milk is revolting or gross, a bad smell is nauseating, and cruel behavior is appalling or despicable.
Each reaction gets its own set of options below, letting you match another word for disgusting to the reaction, check how hard it lands, see which ones suit a formal complaint, and find friendly opposites.
Swatch at a glance
Best swaps
gross, revolting, repulsive, vile, appallingPart of speech
AdjectiveMost formal
abhorrent, repugnant, deplorableMost casual
gross, yucky, ickyStrongest
nauseating, vile, abhorrentAntonyms
appealing, delicious, admirableWatch out
Yucky and icky sound childish; skip them in writing for adults.
Stomach or conscience: each disgusting synonym sorted
| Word | Reacts to | Example |
|---|---|---|
| gross | food, mess, bodily stuff (casual) | The fridge smells gross. |
| revolting | taste, sight, texture | The cafeteria stew was revolting. |
| nauseating | smells that make you queasy | A nauseating smell came from the drain. |
| foul | smells, air, weather, language | Foul water pooled under the trash cans. |
| appalling | cruel or careless acts | The way they treated the dog was appalling. |
| despicable | a person who acts badly | Lying to a grieving family is despicable. |
| disgraceful | acts that bring shame | The state of the hospital is disgraceful. |
How hard each word hits
The chip strip runs mild to strong. Unpleasant is polite and restrained. Nasty is everyday and a bit sharper. Gross is the casual go-to for anything you would not touch. Revolting shows a strong urge to pull away, and nauseating means it actually makes you feel sick.
On the moral side, the climb is similar: shameful, then disgraceful, then despicable, then abhorrent at the very top.
Disgust in real sentences
- This coffee is disgusting becomes this coffee is foul.
- The bathroom was disgusting becomes the bathroom was filthy (when the issue is dirt).
- His comments were disgusting becomes his comments were offensive.
- What they did to the river is disgusting becomes what they did to the river is shameful.
- That cheese smells disgusting becomes that cheese smells rank.
A complaint email to a landlord: "The hallway is disgusting." It is honest but sounds like venting. "The hallway has been left in an unacceptable, unsanitary state for two weeks" is calmer and harder to ignore.
Tone for complaints, reviews and chats
Formal complaints: unacceptable, unsanitary, deplorable and appalling sound serious without shouting. Name the problem and the date.
Restaurant reviews: inedible, stale, greasy or bland say exactly what went wrong, which helps readers more than one broad word.
With friends: gross, nasty and rank are natural. Vile works for drama. If the topic is someone being mean, the rude synonyms page may fit better.
Close calls that twist your meaning
Dirty and filthy describe dirt, not the feeling of disgust; a messy desk is dirty, not revolting. Shocking means surprising in a bad way and does not always involve disgust (see shocking synonyms). Scary is fear, not revulsion. Evil is far stronger and moral; save it for real wickedness. Calling a person repulsive because of how they look is hurtful, so use these words for actions and things, not appearance.
Pleasant opposites
For food, the opposite is delicious, tasty or appetizing. For things in general, pleasant, lovely or delightful. For behavior, admirable, decent or honorable.
- The soup was surprisingly delicious.
- Returning the wallet was a decent thing to do.
Find more on delicious synonyms. Nouns for disgust itself, like revulsion, sit on our feelings and emotions page.
Frequently asked questions
Which words are stronger than disgusting?
Nauseating, vile and repulsive are stronger for things you see, smell or taste. For behavior, abhorrent and despicable are stronger.
Which disgusting synonym suits formal writing?
Repugnant, abhorrent and deplorable are formal. In a complaint, unacceptable or unsanitary often works better because it names the problem.
Is gross a good synonym for disgusting?
Yes in casual speech and messages. It sounds informal, which clashes with essays and office mail.
What do you call disgusting food?
Revolting, inedible, foul or unappetizing. Be specific if you can: stale, burnt, greasy or undercooked tells people what went wrong.
What is the opposite of disgusting?
Delicious works for food, pleasant or lovely for things in general, and admirable for behavior.
What is the noun for disgusting?
Disgust is the feeling. Revulsion and loathing are stronger nouns, and distaste is a milder one.