grubby

grub·by

adjective \ˈgrə-bē\

grub·bi·ergrub·bi·est

Definition of GRUBBY

1

: infested with fly maggots

2

a : dirty, grimy <grubby hands>

b : slovenly, sloppy

3

: worthy of contempt : base <grubby political motives>

— grub·bi·ly \ˈgrə-bə-lē\ adverb

— grub·bi·ness \ˈgrə-bē-nəs\ noun

Examples of GRUBBY

1. He lives in a grubby little apartment.
2. <clean off those grubby hands before you touch anything>

First Known Use of GRUBBY

1725

Related to GRUBBY

Synonyms

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

Antonyms

clean, cleanly, immaculate, spick-and-span (or spic-and-span), spotless, stainless, ultraclean, unsoiled, unstained, unsullied

Related Words

contaminated, defiled, germy, impure, polluted, tainted; insanitary, uncleaned, unsanitary, unsterile, unsterilized, unwashed; greasy, gunky; chaotic, cluttered, confused, disarranged, disarrayed, disheveled (or dishevelled), disordered, jumbled, littered, messed, messy, muddled, mussed, mussy, rumpled, scruffy, sloppy, slovenly, unkempt, untidy; raunchy, scuzzy [slang], shabby, skanky [slang], sleazy, squalid; collied [chiefly British dialect], crocked [dialect], fuliginous, sooty

Near Antonyms

clear, limpid, pure; cleaned, cleansed, combed, groomed, neat, ordered, orderly, tidy; bleached, purified, whitened; bright, flawless, perfect, shiny, sparkling, unspotted, untouched; taintless, unblemished, undefiled, unpolluted, untainted, virgin, wholesome