rear/raise its ugly head
idiom
—used to say that something bad appears and causes trouble usually after not occurring for a period of time
Inflation threatened to rear its ugly head.
I knew that the leak we patched would eventually raise its ugly head.
Examples of rear/raise its ugly head in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Depending on the job market, a no in-law clause may negatively impact their ability to work, an issue that could rear its ugly head in a divorce.
—
Lisa Zeiderman, Forbes.com, 1 Aug. 2025
No one knows whether injury will once again rear its ugly head.
—Tony Blengino, Forbes.com, 20 May 2025
Aaron Turpen / New Atlas But eventually reality has to rear its ugly head and the party has to end.
—New Atlas, 30 Apr. 2025
Stress can rear its ugly head when showing up as procrastination, overeating, or withdrawing from both social events and work colleagues.
—Jack Kelly, Forbes.com, 30 Apr. 2025
Taxpayers should be very worried that this horrible idea will rear its ugly head again.
—John Franklin, San Diego Union-Tribune, 23 Apr. 2025
In anticipatory selling, think pre-mortem versus post-mortem Don’t wait for failure to rear its ugly head.
—Renae Gregoire, Forbes.com, 17 Apr. 2025
Unfortunately, real life can sometimes rear its ugly head and get in the way of what the fans and wrestlers want to happen.
—Newsweek Staff, MSNBC Newsweek, 5 Apr. 2025
Winter is continuing to rear its ugly head this week across the Midwest and Northeast, courtesy of a potent storm that's forecast to spread a nasty mix of ice and snow Wednesday and Thursday.
—Doyle Rice, USA TODAY, 4 Feb. 2025
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Lisa Zeiderman, Forbes.com, 1 Aug. 2025
No one knows whether injury will once again rear its ugly head.
—Tony Blengino, Forbes.com, 20 May 2025
Aaron Turpen / New Atlas But eventually reality has to rear its ugly head and the party has to end.
—New Atlas, 30 Apr. 2025
Stress can rear its ugly head when showing up as procrastination, overeating, or withdrawing from both social events and work colleagues.
—Jack Kelly, Forbes.com, 30 Apr. 2025
Taxpayers should be very worried that this horrible idea will rear its ugly head again.
—John Franklin, San Diego Union-Tribune, 23 Apr. 2025
In anticipatory selling, think pre-mortem versus post-mortem Don’t wait for failure to rear its ugly head.
—Renae Gregoire, Forbes.com, 17 Apr. 2025
Unfortunately, real life can sometimes rear its ugly head and get in the way of what the fans and wrestlers want to happen.
—Newsweek Staff, MSNBC Newsweek, 5 Apr. 2025
Winter is continuing to rear its ugly head this week across the Midwest and Northeast, courtesy of a potent storm that's forecast to spread a nasty mix of ice and snow Wednesday and Thursday.
—Doyle Rice, USA TODAY, 4 Feb. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Rear/raise its ugly head.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rear%2Fraise%20its%20ugly%20head. Accessed 31 Oct. 2025.
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