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

Woe to those who manipulate religion in the very name of God or their own military, economic or political gain, dragging that which is sacred into darkness and filth. —CBS News, 19 Apr. 2026

Javadi isn’t the only one who can read her co-workers for absolute filth. —Maggie Fremont, Vulture, 17 Apr. 2026

When Euphoria left us in 2022, Lexi (played by Maude Apatow) created havoc at the premiere of her play, exposing everyone's shenanigans by reading them for filth. —Lisa Stardust, PEOPLE, 12 Apr. 2026

Netflix’s The Chair may also take the prize for reading academia to its purest filth. —Brittany Allen, Literary Hub, 10 Apr. 2026

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