1
: marked by baseness or grossness : vile
sordid motives
3
: meanly avaricious : covetous
4
: of a dull or muddy color
sordidly
adverb
sordidness
noun
Examples of sordid in a Sentence
And Vermes's story is also in part an international thriller, especially with the high-level goings-on around the Scrolls. The full sordid tale of spite, scholarly selfishness, and undisguised anti-Semitism, which kept access to the Dead Sea texts restricted for decades to a tiny cartel, unwinds in his pages.
—
Paula Fredriksen, New Republic, 15 Oct. 2001
Another reporter working to verify the book's charges ended up unmasking author James Hatfield's sordid past, revealing how little the publisher knew about its author …
—Jennifer Greenstein, Brill's Content, February 2000
In fact, audiences now have become so blasé about accounts of celebrities' sordid personal lives that some stars are turning potential publicity nightmares into confessional coups.
—Stephen Rebello, Vibe, May 1999
He shared the sordid details of his past.
he managed to rise above the sordid streets upon which he grew up
Paula Fredriksen, New Republic, 15 Oct. 2001
Another reporter working to verify the book's charges ended up unmasking author James Hatfield's sordid past, revealing how little the publisher knew about its author …
—Jennifer Greenstein, Brill's Content, February 2000
In fact, audiences now have become so blasé about accounts of celebrities' sordid personal lives that some stars are turning potential publicity nightmares into confessional coups.
—Stephen Rebello, Vibe, May 1999
He shared the sordid details of his past.
he managed to rise above the sordid streets upon which he grew up
Recent Examples on the Web
Yesterday, Parsons took to TikTok to share the sordid story behind Monroe’s signature red lip.
—Margaux Anbouba, Vogue, 21 May 2025
Susanne Bier, who directed Bullock in the post-apocalyptic thriller Bird Box and Kidman in the sordid Netflix mini-series The Perfect Couple, is on board to helm the feature that has a Sept. 18, 2026 release date.
—Borys Kit, HollywoodReporter, 21 May 2025
Savage and fierce, melodic and contagious, the song’s architecture suggested genre is little else than a construct while its words smartly addressed the nation’s sordid past.
—Bob Gendron, Chicago Tribune, 16 May 2025
Patriotic Americans who care about the rule of law and our constitutional order ought to lament this sordid state of affairs—not just the latest twist in the long-running saga but the whole sad story.
—Josh Hammer, MSNBC Newsweek, 9 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for sordid
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Margaux Anbouba, Vogue, 21 May 2025
Susanne Bier, who directed Bullock in the post-apocalyptic thriller Bird Box and Kidman in the sordid Netflix mini-series The Perfect Couple, is on board to helm the feature that has a Sept. 18, 2026 release date.
—Borys Kit, HollywoodReporter, 21 May 2025
Savage and fierce, melodic and contagious, the song’s architecture suggested genre is little else than a construct while its words smartly addressed the nation’s sordid past.
—Bob Gendron, Chicago Tribune, 16 May 2025
Patriotic Americans who care about the rule of law and our constitutional order ought to lament this sordid state of affairs—not just the latest twist in the long-running saga but the whole sad story.
—Josh Hammer, MSNBC Newsweek, 9 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for sordid
Cite this Entry
“Sordid.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sordid. Accessed 29 May. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
sordid
adjective
sor·did
ˈsȯrd-əd 
1
: very dirty : filthy
sordid surroundings
2
: vile sense 1a
a sordid life
3
: meanly greedy : covetous
sordidly
adverb
sordidness
noun
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