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
Zoe Saldaña as Anamaria Zoe Saldaña appears in the The Curse of the Black Pearl as Anamaria, a pirate who has a sordid history with Sparrow.
—Keith Langston, People.com, 15 Apr. 2025
When Frank asks Xavier to help another parishioner sort out her own sordid past, Xavier’s faith will be tested.
—Sara Gran, New York Times, 24 Mar. 2025
Ride the Train in Kanchanaburi Photo: Getty Images A study in contrasts, this province in western Thailand is known for both its outstanding beauty and sordid history.
—Nicole Kliest, Vogue, 2 Mar. 2025
Too bad for those impatient to learn more sordid details and see new prosecutions: this could take a while.
—Miles Klee, Rolling Stone, 27 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for sordid
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Keith Langston, People.com, 15 Apr. 2025
When Frank asks Xavier to help another parishioner sort out her own sordid past, Xavier’s faith will be tested.
—Sara Gran, New York Times, 24 Mar. 2025
Ride the Train in Kanchanaburi Photo: Getty Images A study in contrasts, this province in western Thailand is known for both its outstanding beauty and sordid history.
—Nicole Kliest, Vogue, 2 Mar. 2025
Too bad for those impatient to learn more sordid details and see new prosecutions: this could take a while.
—Miles Klee, Rolling Stone, 27 Feb. 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 6 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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