What does eyesore mean?
An eyesore is something so visually unattractive that it offends or irritates those who see it — most often a building, structure, vehicle, or stretch of land in a public setting. The word combines "eye" and "sore," capturing the idea of looking at something as being a painful experience. It carries a strongly negative connotation and is typically used in complaints about urban decay, neglected property, garish signage, or unpopular architecture. Because it is vivid but not vulgar, "eyesore" works well in both casual conversation and formal contexts such as planning disputes, newspaper editorials, and petitions: residents may campaign against "an eyesore blighting the high street," for instance. The word is countable and takes the regular plural "eyesores." Its enduring usefulness lies in how efficiently it conveys aesthetic offense — one word replaces a paragraph about ugliness — making it a staple of everyday criticism about the visual environment.
nounA thing that is very ugly, especially a building or structure that is unpleasant to look at.
- A thing that is extremely ugly or unpleasant to look at, especially a building, structure, or piece of land in a public place.
"The abandoned factory on the corner has become an eyesore for the whole neighborhood."
"Residents have long complained that the derelict hotel is an eyesore at the entrance to town."
"What was meant to be a striking sculpture struck many locals as a mere eyesore."
Regular plural, used when referring to multiple unattractive things.
"The council has pledged to clean up the eyesores along the waterfront."
An eyesore is literally something that makes your eye sore — the word has been complaining about ugly buildings since before the American Revolution.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of eyesore
Eyesore was formed in English by compounding "eye" with "sore," on the model of older expressions like "eyesick," to describe something painful or offensive to behold. The compound is attested from the late 16th to early 17th century, and it has retained its original meaning ever since. It shares its transparent first element with other common "eye-" compounds such as "eyewitness," "eyeful," and "eyesight." No true cognates exist in other languages, since the word is an internal English formation rather than a borrowing.
How eyesore is actually used
Eyesore is informal to neutral in register and almost always pejorative. It is most commonly applied to buildings, structures, and landscapes rather than people; calling a person an eyesore is possible but harsh and unusual.
Easily confused with eyesore
"Eyeshore" is not an established English word; "eyesore" refers to something ugly to look at, not anything related to a shore or coastline.