filth

noun

ˈfilth 

1

a

: foul or putrid matter

especially : a very large amount of unpleasant or disgusting dirt or refuse

He emerged from the old cellar covered in filth.

b

: very dirty conditions

living in filth

2

a

: moral corruption or defilement

And such is the filth of our spiritual atmosphere! — for not a single one of the former oppressors … has been brought to justice.

—Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn

b

: something (such as speech, writing, images, etc.) that is indecent, obscene, or offensive

magazines full of filth

The torrent of involuntary filth that spewed from my mouth at those points …

—Benjamin Preston

c

: something that tends to corrupt or defile

was warned to stay away from that filth

Synonyms of filth

• dirt
• muck
• soil
• sewage
• sludge
• garbage
• grime

Examples of filth in a Sentence

He emerged from the cellar covered in filth.

the filth of the slaughterhouse

living in filth and squalor

Recent Examples on the Web

As the decades passed, the crowding and filth in the rapidly growing cities in the industrializing nations of Europe and North America created perfect conditions to fuel epidemic outbreaks that could steal the lives of those of any age or rank, but were most dangerous for the very young. —Literary Hub, 11 June 2026

Critters like mice, squirrels, birds and ants are keen on entering the shelters while humans wait on the sidewalk to avoid getting filth on the bottoms of their shoes. —Chicago Tribune, 9 June 2026

Changing the name of a North Miami Beach restaurant didn’t change anything about its state inspection, including the rodents and filth. —David J. Neal, Miami Herald, 8 June 2026

Photos showed Fike's bed and extreme filth surrounding it, including a bedpan with her bath water that was allegedly three weeks old. —Madeline Bartos, CBS News, 7 May 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Old English fȳlth, from fūl foul

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Rhymes for filth

• tilth

Kids Definition

filth

noun

ˈfilth 

1

: disgusting dirt or waste

2

: something that tends to disgust, offend, or dirty