sleaze

noun

ˈslēz 

 also  ˈslāz

1

: sleazy quality, appearance, or behavior

also : sleazy material

2

: a sleazy person

Synonyms

• pervert
• creep
• slimeball [slang]
• slime
• sleazeball [slang]

Examples of sleaze in a Sentence

some sleaze will try to make a buck off of this tragedy

a real sleaze who is constantly mooching off friends, and friends of friends

Recent Examples on the Web

Everything appears to be breaking down and/or covered in a patina of sleaze. —David Fear, Rolling Stone, 3 Aug. 2025

Big bags, lipstick, maxi skirts, and indie sleaze had a moderate negative relationship, and then peplums and high heels had no relationship. —Melissa Fleur Afshar, MSNBC Newsweek, 28 June 2025

Given fashion’s current workwear obsession (corporate sleaze, corpcore, corporate gray, etc.), that shouldn’t be too difficult for the savvy shopper. —Kelsey Stiegman, Glamour, 7 May 2025

From the shaky start (and much to John Carpenter’s chagrin), Cronenberg has always been the thinking man’s purveyor of sleaze and slither. —A.a. Dowd, Vulture, 28 Apr. 2025

Word History

Etymology

back-formation from sleazy

First Known Use

1948, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing sleaze

• sleaze factor

Rhymes for sleaze

• bees
• bes
• breeze
• cheese
• crees
• crise
• deas
• dees
• ease
• fees
• fleas
• flees