sleazy

adjective slea·zy \ ˈslē-zē also ˈslā- \

Definition of sleazy

sleazier; sleaziest

1 a :lacking firmness of texture :flimsy

b :carelessly made of inferior materials :shoddy

2 a :marked by low character or quality

sleazy tabloids

b :squalid, dilapidated

sleazy bars

—

sleazily

play \ˈslē-zə-lē\ adverb

—

sleaziness

play \ˈslē-zē-nəs\ noun

See sleazy defined for English-language learners

See sleazy defined for kids

Examples of sleazy in a Sentence

a dancer in a sleazy outfit
a sleazy lothario who is always on the make

Recent Examples of sleazy from the Web

Baywatch’ is sleazy and wholesome, silly and earnest, dumb as a box of sand and slyly self-aware.

— kathryn shattuck, New York Times, "What’s on TV Wednesday: ‘Baywatch’ and ‘Marlon’," 16 Aug. 2017
Fact: While there are still misperceptions of car salespeople as sleazy con artists, the reality is that today’s sales force is highly educated and eager to work as your advocate in the car buying process.

— for bill collins ford, The Courier-Journal, "Was it ever true? Is it no longer true? Is it true now?," 27 July 2017
The recent revelations that tie Trump's son and son-in-law to a sleazy meeting with a Russian lawyer will only increase the worries in Europe of a U.S. Administration tied in knots for years by investigations.

— james stavridis, Time, "How to Ease Europe's Fears About the New U.S.-Russia Relationship," 27 July 2017
First up was Drake: The emotional crooner known for his sleazy-chic style sported a monogram denim jacket, appropriately accessorized with a large wine glass.

— liana satenstein, Vogue, "The Best Fashion Instagrams of the Week: Lady Gaga Loves Supreme, Kendall Jenner Does the White Boot," 15 July 2017
The GOP should condemn Don Jr.’s actions because those actions were sleazy and dumb.

— david harsanyi, National Review, "Trump Jr.’s Meeting Might Not Rise to Treason," 14 July 2017
British editor Ben Cobb, the king of sleazy chic, and his colleague Luke Jefferson Day both made the case for the sexy styling trick over the weekend in twinning décolletage-revealing shirts.

— liana satenstein, Vogue, "Man Cleavage is Back—and It’s a Blessing," 28 June 2017
The sleazy tactics raised questions about management oversight and exposed the sometimes-cozy relationship between his media outlets and the government.

— joe mayes, Bloomberg.com, "Fox's Sky Bid at Stake as U.K. Minister Decides: QuickTake Q&A," 27 June 2017
In truth, his skeptical Hollywood boss (Doug Mancheski, who doubles as a sleazy Door County realtor) is unsure Wisconsin can deliver what his movie stars want: modern amenities and a vibrant nightlife.

— mike fischer, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Hollywood visits Door County in new musical 'Oklahoma in Wisconsin'," 26 June 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'sleazy.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.