sleazy

adjective

slea·​zy ˈslē-zē 

also ˈslā-

sleazier; sleaziest

1

a

: lacking firmness of texture : flimsy

b

: carelessly made of inferior materials : shoddy

2

a

: marked by low character or quality

sleazy tabloids

b

: squalid, dilapidated

sleazy bars

sleazily

ˈslē-zə-lē 

also ˈslā-

adverb

sleaziness

ˈslē-zē-nəs 

also ˈslā-

noun

Synonyms of sleazy

• corrupt
• perverted
• skanky
• slutty

Examples of sleazy in a Sentence

a dancer in a sleazy outfit

a sleazy lothario who is always on the make

Recent Examples on the Web

Chrome’s trashy, thrashy playing wedded the urgency of punk with devotion to older, sleazy rock ’n’ roll. — Los Angeles Times, 15 Sep. 2026

In The Idol Depp plays Jocelyn, a struggling pop star who becomes entangled with manipulative, sleazy nightclub owner Tedros (Tesfaye). — Encyclopedia Britannica, 2 Sep. 2026

Allie is bamboozled by a sleazy musician, who serenades her with an ode to date rape. — Alexandra Schwartz, New Yorker, 21 Aug. 2026

Has Trump said so much worse, so much more sleazy things against other people? — Brian Stelter, CNN Money, 19 Aug. 2026

Word History

Etymology

origin unknown

First Known Use

circa 1645, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Rhymes for sleazy

• breezy
• cheesy
• easy
• queasy
• wheezy
• marchese
• speakeasy
• uneasy

Kids Definition

sleazy

adjective

slea·​zy ˈslē-zē 

also ˈslā-

sleazier; sleaziest

1

: not firm in texture : flimsy

2

: made carelessly of poor material : shoddy

sleazily

-zə-lē 

adverb

sleaziness

-zē-nəs 

noun