filth

noun

ˈfilth 

1

a

: foul or putrid matter

especially : a very large amount of unpleasant or disgusting dirt or refuse

He emerged from the old cellar covered in filth.

b

: very dirty conditions

living in filth

2

a

: moral corruption or defilement

And such is the filth of our spiritual atmosphere! — for not a single one of the former oppressors … has been brought to justice.

—Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn

b

: something (such as speech, writing, images, etc.) that is indecent, obscene, or offensive

magazines full of filth

The torrent of involuntary filth that spewed from my mouth at those points …

—Benjamin Preston

c

: something that tends to corrupt or defile

was warned to stay away from that filth

Synonyms of filth

• dirt
• muck
• soil
• sewage
• sludge
• garbage
• grime

Examples of filth in a Sentence

He emerged from the cellar covered in filth.

the filth of the slaughterhouse

living in filth and squalor

Recent Examples on the Web

In the film, Credenza runs the bizarre amusement park of Twitlandia alongside her husband — delighting in dirty pranks, filth and cruelty along the way. —Jane Lacroix, PEOPLE, 18 Oct. 2025

Another outlet joins the filth of psychological warfare against the Venezuelan people. —Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 17 Oct. 2025

Filth Flies Little filth flies such as drain flies breed in sludge and decaying matter that can build up in drain pipes, says Oi. —Arricca Elin Sansone, Southern Living, 10 Oct. 2025

For cinephiles, this feature, shot on 16-millimeter film, will likely feel like a successor to John Waters’ dynasty of filth, down to its setting in the fictional urban sprawl of Trashtown. —Elaina Patton, NBC news, 9 Oct. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Old English fȳlth, from fūl foul

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Rhymes for filth

• tilth

Kids Definition

filth

noun

ˈfilth 

1

: disgusting dirt or waste

2

: something that tends to disgust, offend, or dirty