dirty

adjective

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\ ˈdər-tē

dirtier; dirtiest

Definition of dirty

(Entry 1 of 3)

1a : not clean or pure dirty clothes dirty fingernails

b : likely to befoul or defile with a soiling substance (such as mud, dust, or grime) dirty jobs

c : contaminated with infecting organisms dirty wounds

d : containing impurities dirty coal

2a : morally unclean or corrupt: such as

(1) : indecent, vulgar dirty jokes a dirty movie

(2) : dishonorable, base a dirty trick

(3) : unsportsmanlike dirty players

b : acquired by disreputable or illegal means : ill-gotten dirty money

c : disagreeable, distasteful, or objectionable but usually necessary (as in achieving a desired result) hired a thug to do their dirty work

3a : abominable, hateful war is a dirty business

b : highly regrettable a dirty shame

c : likely to cause disgrace or scandal dirty little secrets

4 : foggy, stormy dirty weather

5a of color : not clear and bright : dullish dirty blond

b music : characterized by a husky, rasping, or raw tonal quality dirty trumpet tones

6 : conveying ill-natured resentment gave him a dirty look

dirty

adverb

dirtier; dirtiest

Definition of dirty (Entry 2 of 3)

: in a dirty (see dirty entry 1) manner: such as

a : deceptively, underhandedly fight dirty

b : indecently talk dirty

dirty

verb

dirtied; dirtying

Definition of dirty (Entry 3 of 3)

transitive verb

1 : to soil with a substance (such as mud or grime) : to make dirty (see dirty entry 1) dirtied my new shoes

2a : to stain with dishonor : sully tried to dirty his reputation

b : to debase by distorting the real nature of … their religion took most of the rural whites' pleasures away from them, dirtying sex and the human body until it was a nasty thing …— Lillian Smith

intransitive verb

: to become soiled

Other Words from dirty Synonyms & Antonyms Choose the Right Synonym More Example Sentences Learn More about dirty

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Choose the Right Synonym for dirty

Adjective

dirty, filthy, foul, nasty, squalid mean conspicuously unclean or impure. dirty emphasizes the presence of dirt more than an emotional reaction to it. a dirty littered street filthy carries a strong suggestion of offensiveness and typically of gradually accumulated dirt that begrimes and besmears. a stained greasy floor, utterly filthy foul implies extreme offensiveness and an accumulation of what is rotten or stinking. a foul-smelling open sewer nasty applies to what is actually foul or is repugnant to one expecting freshness, cleanliness, or sweetness. it's a nasty job to clean up after a sick cat In practice, nasty is often weakened to the point of being no more than a synonym of unpleasant or disagreeable. had a nasty fall his answer gave her a nasty shock squalid adds to the idea of dirtiness and filth that of slovenly neglect. squalid slums All these terms are also applicable to moral uncleanness or baseness or obscenity. dirty then stresses meanness or despicableness don't ask me to do your dirty work , while filthy and foul describe disgusting obscenity or loathsome behavior filthy street language a foul story of lust and greed , and nasty implies a peculiarly offensive unpleasantness. a stand-up comedian known for nasty humor Distinctively, squalid implies sordidness as well as baseness and dirtiness. engaged in a series of squalid affairs

Examples of dirty in a Sentence

Adjective All my socks are dirty. Try not to get your clothes dirty. I can't breathe this dirty city air. The baby has a dirty diaper. I hate listening to his dirty jokes. Adverb Watch out for her. She plays dirty. He usually wins because he fights dirty. Verb Take off your shoes to keep from dirtying the floor. Her fingers were dirtied with ink.

Recent Examples on the Web: Adjective Their dirty work allowed Malcolm Brogdon to get a career-high 15. — J. Michael, The Indianapolis Star, "Insider: Pacers Myles Turner knows what people say, 'He's soft.' Here's why it's not true.," 17 Feb. 2021 With Kevan Miller, Jeremy Lauzon, and Patrice Bergeron handling most of the short-handed dirty work, the Bruins blanked the Flyers on three power plays, keeping the ship steady when things could’ve gone sideways. — Globe Staff, BostonGlobe.com, "Brad Marchand and Sean Kuraly strike in the third period as Bruins rally again to beat Flyers," 5 Feb. 2021 In training camp before the start of the season, Popovich implored Poeltl to occasionally think of himself as a scorer, and not just a screen-setter, rebounder and doer of dirty work. — Jeff Mcdonald, San Antonio Express-News, "San Antonio Spurs' Jakob Poeltl more than a fill-in," 5 Feb. 2021 For the government, perhaps, an easy place to start is setting clear rules that prevent the N.S.A.’s own, like Mr. Evenden’s former employer, from doing the dirty work for other governments where the rules that govern our own spycraft do not apply. — New York Times, "How the United States Lost to Hackers," 4 Feb. 2021 Arkansas gotten a lot of dirty-work points that way through seven-plus game, especially from Moody. — Arkansas Online, "Hogs beat Abilene Christian without Musselman," 23 Dec. 2020 That's why so many people are obsessed with robot vacuums, which will do your (literal) dirty work for you. — Amanda Tarlton, USA TODAY, "12 things that will help you be productive in 2021," 22 Dec. 2020 Why not let robots do the dirty work of collecting data and leave the humans to pursue pure science? — Daniel Oberhaus, Wired, "The Oldest Crewed Deep Sea Submarine Just Got a Big Makeover," 21 Dec. 2020 His willingness to do all the dirty work will fit in well with Van Gundy. — Christian Clark, NOLA.com, "The Won't Bow Down era enters Phase 2: Our Pelicans crew gives season predictions," 19 Dec. 2020 Recent Examples on the Web: Adverb Carburetors were so crude and gasoline so dirty back in the day, that the small passages inside the carburetor could get blocked up with dirt. — Ray Magliozz, San Diego Union-Tribune, "In 2020, carburetor concerns are a thing of the past," 25 Oct. 2020 Recent Examples on the Web: Verb Protesters have been seen taking off their shoes before standing on public benches, not wanting to dirty them. — Washington Post, "Belarusian-style revolution means cleaning up after protests and stopping for red lights," 22 Sep. 2020 Democrats say this focus is an effort to dirty up Trump’s 2020 rival. — Jerry Dunleavy, Washington Examiner, "Ron Johnson: Democrats weaponizing ‘Russian disinformation’ narrative to attack Biden-Ukraine investigation," 10 Aug. 2020 Democrats say the focus on Burisma is part of an effort to dirty up Trump’s main rival in the 2020 contest. — Jerry Dunleavy, Washington Examiner, "GOP senators deny laundering foreign disinformation in Russia and Ukraine investigations," 6 Aug. 2020 The virus has gotten more of us outdoors, too, dirtying our hands in the soil. — cleveland, "Fresh, flavorful herbs are always at the ready in a kitchen garden," 1 June 2020 Some recycling contamination, such as food residue from takeout boxes, can dirty up other perfectly recyclable objects. — Sarah Bowman, The Indianapolis Star, "Recycling contamination up 40% in Marion County as Hoosiers make more waste at home," 28 May 2020 That applies to makeup as well, which can quickly dirty the inside of the mask. — cleveland, "Cloth masks in public might be here to stay. Here’s what you need to know.," 15 Apr. 2020 Though Burnell’s adaptation is a bit rickety, Morano brings a gritty neorealist style with the help of cinematographer Sean Bobbitt, and dirties herself up for cred. — Katie Walsh, Los Angeles Times, "Review: Blake Lively and gritty ‘The Rhythm Section’ is plagued by a shaky adaptation," 29 Jan. 2020 This griddle from Blackstone is perfect for cooking large batches of food without dirtying a pan. — Popular Science, "Make dinner anywhere with these propane cookers," 18 Mar. 2020

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'dirty.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.