1
as in filthy
not clean
clean off those grubby hands before you touch anything
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in dirty
arousing or deserving of one's loathing and disgust
that's a grubby reason to stop talking to a friend
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of grubby
Stroheim, who shot on location, delivers a grungy and grubby story, his fanatical eye for grim detail producing a portrait of ordinary misery that assumes symbolic force.
—
Richard Brody,
New Yorker,
17 Jan. 2026
Yet its misguided grubby reputation is being peeled away to reveal the wealth of cultural and culinary treats.
—
Duncan Madden,
Forbes.com,
16 Jan. 2026
Welcome to the grubby reality of international diplomacy!
—
Helen Lewis,
The Atlantic,
30 Dec. 2025
To clean a really grubby baseboard, use a cloth and soapy water to remove dirt and stains.
—
Brandee Gruener,
Southern Living,
20 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for grubby
Richard Brody,
New Yorker,
17 Jan. 2026
Yet its misguided grubby reputation is being peeled away to reveal the wealth of cultural and culinary treats.
—
Duncan Madden,
Forbes.com,
16 Jan. 2026
Welcome to the grubby reality of international diplomacy!
—
Helen Lewis,
The Atlantic,
30 Dec. 2025
To clean a really grubby baseboard, use a cloth and soapy water to remove dirt and stains.
—
Brandee Gruener,
Southern Living,
20 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for grubby
Recent Examples of Synonyms for grubby
Adjective
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And a great bench of freelancers is making this all-American game feel dramatic, approachable, and exciting—even to filthy casuals.
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But, the freedom loving sane people of this great country came to Karoline's defense to show support, destroy the filthy LIBS and celebrate the greatest press secretary this country has ever employed.
Adjective
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Those who have sustained a severe burn or dirty wound should follow up with a booster after five years, according to the CDC.
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Down Pennsylvania Avenue, a man in a karate gi, disposable gloves, and dirty white sneakers was hauling a cart by means of a homemade yoke strapped across his shoulders.
Adjective
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Looking for a heritage bolt of fabric without having to comb through the dusty shelves of an antiques store?
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On the dusty backroads of Radiator Springs, where Lightning McQueen and his pals live, a shower of meteors threatened to bring destruction upon the quarter-size cars in a scene that disaster movie king Roland Emmerich would endorse.
Adjective
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The revolution won’t come cheap.
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Across six online experiments, the researchers showed participants a cheaper lower-quality item such as a sweater alongside a pricier higher-quality version.
Adjective
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Spread the mixture on the stained area; leave it for 15 minutes before wiping it away with a microfiber cloth.
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Visitors stroll from room to room, surrounded by stained glass and sacred cremains, serving witness to moving and often head-scratching performances.
Adjective
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On paper, some of the six, all of whom are far-right conservatives, have enviable educational backgrounds, but the record has proven that each one is openly political and willing to rubber-stamp nearly all of DeSantis’ lame and unconstitutional policies.
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In November 2008 an errant air strike, conducted under auspices of a lame-duck Bush administration, killed 37 civilians who were at a wedding party in Wech Baghtu, Afghanistan.
Adjective
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The land, unfenced, abuts a bald blackened hillside that must be public land.
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In its time open, fueled by fans of its blackened mahi and buttery lobster rolls, owner Mike Smith has expanded his footprint, moving into a larger stall in the popular food hall — which has allowed for a menu expansion, as well.
Adjective
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Trump has made a pitiful shambles of what should have been a glorious moment.
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With his country flailing in their pitiful attempts to qualify for the 2006 World Cup, at the age of 33, Zidane underwent his change of heart.
Cite this Entry
“Grubby.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/grubby. Accessed 28 Jun. 2026.
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