filthy

1 of 2

adjective

ˈfil-thē 

filthier; filthiest

1

: covered with, containing, or characterized by filth : very dirty

filthy streets

filthy dishes

2

a

: underhand, vile

a filthy lie

b

: obscene sense 2b, indecent

a filthy joke

He has a filthy mouth. [= he uses indecent language]

filthily

ˈfil-thə-lē 

adverb

filthiness

ˈfil-thē-nəs 

noun

filthy

2 of 2

adverb

1

: in a filthy manner

filthy dirty

2

: very, exceedingly

filthy rich

Synonyms of filthy

Adjective

• obscene
• vulgar
• pornographic
• dirty
• nasty
• foul
• gross

Adverb

• extremely
• very
• incredibly
• terribly
• damned
• damn
• highly
• badly
• too
• so
• desperately
• severely
• jolly
• really
• super
• full
• seriously
• far

Choose the Right Synonym for filthy

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 filthy in a Sentence

Adjective

She's in a filthy mood.

you cannot use such filthy language on the public airwaves

Adverb

the invention made him filthy rich

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

Over the last several seasons of the Movies Fantasy League, the one thing that’s been more consistent than the movies, the awards, or Timmy Chalamet scoring a hit in December has been all you players coming up with some of the most clever, goofy, dumb, sometimes filthy names for your teams. —Joe Reid, Vulture, 3 Feb. 2026

Traditional mops move filthy water, conventional vacuums push fine dust back into the air and cleaning cloths need to be rinsed to maintain hygienic conditions. —William Jones, USA Today, 1 Feb. 2026

This funny, filthy takedown of chauvinism is steeped in retrograde thinking and traditions. —Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 30 Jan. 2026

Slightly less filthy than the ones on the balcony, those bricks could have used a coat of paint. —Literary Hub, 22 Jan. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adverb

1616, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing filthy

• filthy dirty
• filthy rich
• filthy/stinking rich

Kids Definition

filthy

adjective

ˈfil-thē

filthier; filthiest

1

: covered with or containing filth : disgustingly dirty

2

a

: underhand entry 2 sense 1, evil

b

: obscene sense 2

filthily

-thə-lē

adverb

filthiness

-thē-nəs

noun