ugly duckling
📖 Definitions
noun
One that seems unattractive or unpromising at first but has great potential
and later turns out to be quite attractive or successful.
💬 Usage Examples
“Nearly every transport advocacy group in Melbourne bemoans a lack of investment in our bus network. The ugly duckling of the transport network, and a mode that fails to attract attention on the front pages of newspapers, it is perhaps the cheapest and most obvious way to tackle congestion.” Stuart James; Fork in Road for Public Transport Solutions; Herald Sun (Melbourne, Australia); May 21, 2020.