dingy

adjective

din·​gy ˈdin-jē 

dingier; dingiest

1

: dirty, unclean

dingy fingernails

2

: shabby, squalid

a dingy hotel room

dingily

ˈdin-jə-lē 

adverb

dinginess

ˈdin-jē-nəs 

noun

Synonyms

• bedraggled
• befouled
• begrimed
• bemired
• besmirched
• black
• blackened
• cruddy
• dirty
• draggled
• dusty
• filthy
• foul
• grimy
• grotty [chiefly British]
• grubby
• grungy
• mucky
• muddy
• nasty
• smudged
• smutty
• soiled
• sordid
• stained
• sullied
• unclean
• uncleanly

Examples of dingy in a Sentence

He's been staying in a dingy motel.

the bed sheets were pretty dingy so we threw them in the laundry pile

Recent Examples on the Web

If your outdoor rug is looking a little dingy, or worse, a little soap and water and some spot-cleaning can get rid of grime and stains and get it back to a presentable state. —Karen Grossman, Southern Living, 24 June 2025

Rain and seasonal climate can leave your home's exterior – including concrete, decking, walkways, patios, steps and more – dingy. —Nora Colomer May Earn A Commission If You Buy Through Our Referral Links. This Content Was Created By A Team That Works Independently From The Fox Newsroom., FOXNews.com, 28 Apr. 2025

The smart robot also senses when the mop is getting dingy and goes back to the station to clean it. —Yelena Moroz Alpert, Architectural Digest, 19 May 2025

The police moved out of their dingy quarters, which were on the east end of the town hall. —Jim Woods, Chicago Tribune, 18 May 2025

Word History

Etymology

origin unknown

First Known Use

1691, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for dingy

• stingy

Kids Definition

dingy

adjective

din·​gy ˈdin-jē 

dingier; dingiest

: rather dark and dirty : not fresh or clean

a dingy room

dingy colors

dingily

-jə-lē 

adverb

dinginess

-jē-nəs 

noun