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Geoyo Posted 13 years ago
Vocabulary

Ugh, ew, yuck

So this is probably a silly question, but I still want to know Emotion: smile

When expressing disgust, what's the difference between "ugh", "yuck" and "ew"? Is there any difference in the degree of disgust? Are they interchangeable? If not, which is more appropriate for what situations? And which do you think is the most common one?
  

Top answer

"Ew" is not in the dictionaries, and the other two are. You can make up any interjection you like, though. I like "blecch".

— Enoon

  • "Ew" is not in the dictionaries, and the other two are.
  • You can make up any interjection you like, though.
  • I like "blecch".
  • "Ugh" is the literary one, meant to be onomatopoeic.
  • "Yuck" is more childish, and "ew", more feminine.
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7 Answers
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"Ew" is not in the dictionaries, and the other two are. You can make up any interjection you like, though. I like "blecch". "Ugh" is the literary one, meant to be onomatopoeic. "Yuck" is more childish, and "ew", more feminine.
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Thank you for categorizing the sounds, that was very helpul. I didn't know about "blecch", I never heard it. Is it confined to a certain region where you live? How is it pronounced, like "bleach"?
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"Blecch" was coined by somebody at Mad Magazine. It is not a real word that you will find in a dictionary. You pronounce it as though you are ejecting something unpleasant from your mouth, I guess. All such words are onomatopoeic, and, as I said, you are free to make up any combination of letters you think will produce the sound you want.
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enoon"Blecch" was coined by somebody at Mad Magazine. You pronounce it as though you are ejecting something unpleasant from your mouth
Do you also use bleah for that? I think that's what we use in my language.

H.
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Henry74 enoon"Blecch" was coined by somebody at Mad Magazine. You pronounce it as though you are ejecting something unpleasant from your mouthDo you also use bleah for that? I think that's what we use in my language.H.
Sure. I was only making a Mad Magazine reference. But if you want to get into it, "blecch" expresses a piquancy of revulsion not attaine
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geoyoHow is it pronounced, like "bleach"?
Do you know IPA? I would pronounce it as /bl?x/, with a strong /x/.

CJ
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Thank you. Yes I can read IPA. I wouldn't have figured it out otherwise Emotion: smile
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