grubby

adjective

grub·​by ˈgrə-bē 

grubbier; grubbiest

1

: infested with fly maggots

2

a

: dirty, grimy

grubby hands

a grubby garage

b

: slovenly, sloppy

… her grubby and disheveled condition …

—P. G. Wodehouse

3

: worthy of contempt : base

grubby political motives

… became involved in grubby squabbles over money …

—Clive Gammon

grubbily

ˈgrə-bə-lē 

adverb

grubbiness

ˈgrə-bē-nəs 

noun

Synonyms of grubby

• filthy
• dusty
• stained
• dirty
• blackened
• muddy
• black

Examples of grubby in a Sentence

He lives in a grubby little apartment.

clean off those grubby hands before you touch anything

Recent Examples on the Web

Stroheim, who shot on location, delivers a grungy and grubby story, his fanatical eye for grim detail producing a portrait of ordinary misery that assumes symbolic force. —Richard Brody, New Yorker, 17 Jan. 2026

Yet its misguided grubby reputation is being peeled away to reveal the wealth of cultural and culinary treats. —Duncan Madden, Forbes.com, 16 Jan. 2026

Welcome to the grubby reality of international diplomacy! —Helen Lewis, The Atlantic, 30 Dec. 2025

To clean a really grubby baseboard, use a cloth and soapy water to remove dirt and stains. —Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 20 Nov. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1725, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for grubby

• chubby
• cubby
• hubby
• scrubby
• shrubby
• stubby
• tubby

Kids Definition

grubby

adjective

grub·​by ˈgrəb-ē 

grubbier; grubbiest

: dirty entry 1 sense 1, slovenly

grubbily

ˈgrəb-ə-lē 

adverb

grubbiness

ˈgrəb-ē-nəs 

noun