grungy

adjective

grun·​gy ˈgrən-jē 

grungier; grungiest

1

: shabby or dirty in character or condition

2

: characteristic of grunge music or fashion

Synonyms of grungy

• filthy
• dusty
• blackened
• dirty
• stained
• muddy
• black
• nasty

Examples of grungy in a Sentence

After working in the garden all day, I felt sweaty and grungy.

a grungy pair of jeans

Recent Examples on the Web

How to style black wide-leg jeans Wide-leg black jeans can sometimes skew either too grungy or too formal. — India Roby, Glamour, 1 Nov. 2026

These options from Mango, Cotton On, and ASTR the label are grungy, low-effort, and will earn nods of approval from in-the-know fashion people. — Olivia Cigliano, InStyle, 24 Oct. 2026

The record does include songs in the gentle, intimate mode of her earlier work, but even those are sometimes laced with grungy guitar lines. — Mark Jenkins, Washington Post, 30 Sep. 2026

Each strap wrapped around the shaft of her boots, imparting a grungy effect. — Amina Ayoud, Footwear News, 20 Sep. 2026

Word History

Etymology

origin unknown

First Known Use

1965, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for grungy

• bungee
• spongy

Kids Definition

grungy

adjective

grun·​gy ˈgrən-jē 

grungier; grungiest

: being in a shabby or dirty condition