dirty

1 of 3

adjective

dirtier; dirtiest
1
a
: 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
2
a
: 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
3
a
: 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
5
a
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
dirtily adverb
dirtiness noun

dirty

2 of 3

adverb

dirtier; dirtiest
: in a dirty (see dirty entry 1) manner: such as
a
: deceptively, underhandedly
fight dirty
b
: indecently
talk dirty

dirty

3 of 3

verb

dirtied; dirtying

transitive verb

1
: to soil with a substance (such as mud or grime) : to make dirty (see dirty entry 1)
dirtied my new shoes
2
a
: 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
Choose the Right Synonym for dirty

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
The shirt had one glaring omission: dirty soda, a Utah phenomenon that’s become a national curiosity. Hannah Goldfield, The New Yorker, 21 Oct. 2024 Pepsi posted a TikTok video about dirty soda earlier this month using Cool Whip and coconut syrup. Kelly Tyko, Axios, 20 Oct. 2024
Adverb
Sonic Drive-In began offering the option to make its drinks dirty by adding coconut cream and lime for an additional charge. Cheryl V. Jackson, The Indianapolis Star, 26 Sep. 2024 The campaign gained intensity when photos circulated on the Internet of Ya Ya looking dirty and gaunt (by panda standards) with patchy fur. Ashraf Khalil and Didi Tang, The Christian Science Monitor, 3 Oct. 2023
Verb
Instead, Walz seems to have little to say about factory farming dirtying the state’s waterways. Kenny Torrella, Vox, 7 Dec. 2018 Garments can be dirtied again by the elements if air-dried outside. Mary Cornetta, Better Homes & Gardens, 23 July 2024 See all Example Sentences for dirty 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'dirty.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

see dirt

Adverb

see dirt

Verb

see dirt

First Known Use

Adjective

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Adverb

circa 1931, in the meaning defined above

Verb

1591, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of dirty was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near dirty

Cite this Entry

“Dirty.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dirty. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.

Kids Definition

dirty

1 of 2 adjective
dirtier; dirtiest
1
: not clean
dirty clothes
dirty air
2
: unfair sense 1, dishonorable
a dirty trick
3
: indecent, vulgar
dirty jokes
4
: disagreeable or objectionable but usually necessary (as in achieving a desired result)
had to scrub the floor and do other dirty work
5
: stormy sense 1
dirty weather
6
: not clear in color : dull
a dirty red
7
: showing dislike or anger
a dirty look
dirtily adverb
dirtiness noun

dirty

2 of 2 verb
dirtied; dirtying
: to make or become dirty

Medical Definition

dirty

adjective
dirtier; dirtiest
: contaminated with infecting organisms
dirty wounds

More from Merriam-Webster on dirty

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