filth

noun

ˈfilth 

1

: foul or putrid matter

especially : loathsome dirt or refuse

2

a

: moral corruption or defilement

b

: something that tends to corrupt or defile

Synonyms

• 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

Angry residents Residents and business owners took to the mic to speak of the drug use, dealing, filth, and related violence that have become common in their neighborhoods. —Gayla Cawley, Boston Herald, 5 Sep. 2025

In all, 12 dogs were inside, 10 of them puppies and two mama dogs, all emaciated, all living in filth, all in a single home, the Nashville Humane Association said. —Brad Schmitt, The Tennessean, 29 Aug. 2025

Some of these people are ranting and raving, threatening violence against strangers or exhibiting tendencies to hurt themselves, others are quietly living in filth or unclothed or unshod in frigid temperatures. —New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 18 Aug. 2025

For the last few weeks, my TikTok feed has been mired in country music filth. —Kieran Press-Reynolds, Pitchfork, 14 Aug. 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 1

Rhymes for filth

• tilth

Kids Definition

filth

noun

ˈfilth 

1

: disgusting dirt or waste

2

: something that tends to disgust, offend, or dirty