[alephr]

the problem is that "ugly" isn't precise and can get translated from other reactions that aren't based on experience but are instead just cargo cutting. it's great to use the faster parts of our brains to reason but still important to make sure we're not accepting the mistakes they might make.

[stupidcar]

It's also an emotive word that can make discussion more heated. If you're reviewing somebody's code and you call it "ugly", they're liable to get upset, and it's too imprecise for them to act on. It's far more helpful and less combative to explain, in concrete terms, what you think its problems are, and how a different approach could solve them.