squalid

adjective

squal·​id ˈskwä-ləd How to pronounce squalid (audio)
1
: marked by filthiness and degradation from neglect or poverty
2
: sordid
squalidly adverb
squalidness noun
Choose the Right Synonym for squalid

dirty, filthy, foul, nasty, squalid mean conspicuously unclean or impure.

dirty emphasizes the presence of dirt more than an emotional reaction to it.

a dirty littered street

filthy carries a strong suggestion of offensiveness and typically of gradually accumulated dirt that begrimes and besmears.

a stained greasy floor, utterly filthy

foul implies extreme offensiveness and an accumulation of what is rotten or stinking.

a foul-smelling open sewer

nasty applies to what is actually foul or is repugnant to one expecting freshness, cleanliness, or sweetness.

it's a nasty job to clean up after a sick cat

In practice, nasty is often weakened to the point of being no more than a synonym of unpleasant or disagreeable.

had a nasty fall
his answer gave her a nasty shock

squalid adds to the idea of dirtiness and filth that of slovenly neglect.

squalid slums

All these terms are also applicable to moral uncleanness or baseness or obscenity.

dirty then stresses meanness or despicableness

don't ask me to do your dirty work

, while filthy and foul describe disgusting obscenity or loathsome behavior

filthy street language
a foul story of lust and greed

, and nasty implies a peculiarly offensive unpleasantness.

a stand-up comedian known for nasty humor

Distinctively, squalid implies sordidness as well as baseness and dirtiness.

engaged in a series of squalid affairs

Examples of squalid in a Sentence

The family lived in squalid conditions.
Recent Examples on the Web Abu Hassan had lost his worldly possessions and was living in a squalid camp. Anand Gopal, The New Yorker, 11 Mar. 2024 Thousands had been stuck in squalid migrant camps just across the border, forced to wait in Mexico while their asylum claims were processed. Arelis R. Hernández, Washington Post, 29 Feb. 2024 In recent years, the location had been home to hundreds of migrants and asylum-seekers living in squalid conditions in makeshift camps that have been regularly cleared by police. Thomas Adamson and Oleg Cetinic, USA TODAY, 11 Feb. 2024 Usually hidden from public view, the massacre brought the squalid living conditions to light. Ray Chavez, The Mercury News, 21 Jan. 2024 The macaque trade is steeped in corruption, violence and disease, with monkeys captured in nature or bred on squalid farms. Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 2 Jan. 2024 The squalid lab was found brimming with lab equipment, refrigerators, freezers, incubators, and other machinery. Beth Mole, Ars Technica, 15 Aug. 2023 In return, the cats provide something invaluable in a lockup notorious for overcrowding and squalid conditions: love, affection and acceptance. Jack Nicas, New York Times, 31 Dec. 2023 Over half a million people have fled their homes in just the past two months, mostly into the squalid camps that have sprung up around Goma. Declan Walsh Arlette Bashizi, New York Times, 17 Dec. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'squalid.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Latin squalidus rough, dirty, from squalēre to be covered with scales or dirt, from squalus dirty; perhaps akin to Latin squama scale

First Known Use

1596, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of squalid was in 1596

Dictionary Entries Near squalid

Cite this Entry

“Squalid.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/squalid. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

squalid

adjective
squal·​id ˈskwäl-əd How to pronounce squalid (audio)
1
: filthy or degraded as a result of neglect or the lack of money
2
squalidly adverb
squalidness noun
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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