dingy

adjective

din·​gy ˈdin-jē How to pronounce dingy (audio)
dingier; dingiest
1
: dirty, unclean
dingy fingernails
2
: shabby, squalid
a dingy hotel room
dingily adverb
dinginess noun

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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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 The rehearsal space for the Metropolitan Opera’s orchestra is three levels below a parking garage, amid a labyrinth of dingy hallways and exposed ceiling pipes. Jane Bua, New Yorker, 5 May 2025 As for washing, the white will hold up to about 20 cycles before starting to look a little dingy, but the black holds up fine, and both will hold their shape. Jake Henry Smith, Glamour, 25 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for dingy

Word History

Etymology

origin unknown

First Known Use

1691, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of dingy was in 1691

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Dingy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dingy. Accessed 22 May. 2025.

Kids Definition

dingy

adjective
din·​gy ˈdin-jē How to pronounce dingy (audio)
dingier; dingiest
: rather dark and dirty : not fresh or clean
a dingy room
dingy colors
dingily adverb
dinginess noun

More from Merriam-Webster on dingy

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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