nastier; nastiest
1
: very unpleasant to see, smell, taste, etc.
She has a nasty habit of biting her fingernails.
The food looks nasty.
The medicine left a nasty taste in my mouth.
a nasty-tasting medicine
2
: indecent and offensive
a violent movie with a lot of nasty [=bad, dirty] language
3
: unpleasant and unkind
That was a nasty [=cruel, mean] trick!
That nasty old man yelled at me just for stepping on his lawn!
He sent a nasty letter/e-mail to the company.
She's got quite a nasty temper/disposition.
He said lots of downright nasty things about her.
She called him a few nasty names and left.
4
: very bad or unpleasant
nasty weather/storms
It's rainy and nasty outside.
I've got a really nasty problem.
He's in for a nasty surprise when he gets home.
He just went through a nasty divorce.
a nasty legal battle
Their relationship got/turned nasty soon after they were married.
5
: very serious or severe
You've got a nasty cut on your head.
a nasty wound
: causing much damage
She had a nasty fall on the ice.
He took a nasty spill while riding his bike.
Cite this Entry
“Nasty.” Merriam-Webster.com Simple Definition, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/simple/nasty. Accessed 15 Apr. 2026.
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