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dirty

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verb

dirty

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adverb

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective dirty differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of dirty are filthy, foul, nasty, and squalid. While all these words mean "conspicuously unclean or impure," dirty emphasizes the presence of dirt more than an emotional reaction to it or, figuratively, stresses meanness or despicableness.

a dirty littered street
don't ask me to do your dirty work

When is it sensible to use filthy instead of dirty?

The words filthy and dirty are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, filthy carries a strong suggestion of offensiveness and typically of gradually accumulated dirt that begrimes and besmears. Figuratively, it can also describe disgusting obscenity.

a stained greasy floor, utterly filthy
filthy street language

When could foul be used to replace dirty?

The meanings of foul and dirty largely overlap; however, foul implies extreme offensiveness and an accumulation of what is rotten or stinking; it can also describe, for example, loathsome behavior.

a foul-smelling open sewer
a foul story of lust and greed

How does the word nasty relate to other synonyms for dirty?

Nasty applies to what is actually foul or is repugnant to one expecting freshness, cleanliness, or sweetness; in practice, however, nasty is often weakened to the point of being no more than a synonym of unpleasant or disagreeable. When used figuratively, nasty implies a peculiarly offensive unpleasantness.

it's a nasty job to clean up after a sick cat
had a nasty fall
his answer gave her a nasty shock
a stand-up comedian known for nasty humor

Where would squalid be a reasonable alternative to dirty?

While the synonyms squalid and dirty are close in meaning, squalid adds to the idea of dirtiness and filth that of slovenly neglect. Distinctively, its figurative use implies sordidness as well as baseness and dirtiness.

squalid slums
engaged in a series of squalid affairs

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of dirty
Adjective
There were no food handler cards available, some raw chicken was stored above the noodles and the area around the outdoor grease trap was dirty. Harriet Ramos, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 1 Nov. 2025 An employee was eating on the preparation table, and there were dirty utensils and knives on the table. Sacbee.com, 31 Oct. 2025
Verb
Crow-Armstrong has dirtied up the White Sox in six of those games, batting .458 with eight RBIs and a homer. Kalen Lumpkins, Chicago Tribune, 27 June 2025 And for nights when you can't be bothered to dirty a million dishes just to get dinner on the table, there's an air fryer from Ninja. Sarah Felbin, SELF, 23 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for dirty
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dirty
Adjective
  • The couple slept on a filthy mattress on the floor with their 4-year-old son, Stephano.
    Daniel Gonzalez, AZCentral.com, 6 Nov. 2025
  • The big comedy set pieces overwhelm Miller’s attempts at satire, but any movie that has Nicholson casually dropping filthy double (and single) entendres beneath arched eyebrows is worth a look.
    Keith Phipps, Vulture, 31 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • Beside one of those blandly obscene bidets.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 21 Oct. 2025
  • But the show avoided an FCC probe as the West Coast delay was censored, and the East Coast broadcast aired after the 6am-10pm window during which obscene content is prohibited on broadcast TV and radio.
    Glenn Garner, Deadline, 19 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • With those turbulent waters somewhat behind us, the ones under the ship claim another victim, and poor Britani runs off to throw up over the side of the boat.
    Tom Smyth, Vulture, 5 Nov. 2025
  • This election will likely be remembered as a beacon during a turbulent sea of democratic backsliding, restoring the values of a city which was built on immigrant innovation and an ethos of inclusion.
    Newsweek Contributors, MSNBC Newsweek, 5 Nov. 2025
Adjective
  • SulfurSolve aims to play a central role in transforming a deadly, foul-smelling fuel into usable resources.
    Sixteen Ramos, USA Today, 3 Nov. 2025
  • Guerrero ended the top of the fourth inning with a diving catch into foul territory, repeating Daulton Varsho’s defensive brilliance from moments before.
    Fabian Ardaya, New York Times, 2 Nov. 2025
Adjective
  • The discrepancy has divided voters, stirred up nasty social media exchanges and even inspired an 18-year-old Lakota grad to throw his hat in the district's school board race.
    Grace Tucker, Cincinnati Enquirer, 29 Oct. 2025
  • And any school or school district that does try to discriminate, that man right there will probably first send you a nasty gram and then drop the hammer.
    Kimberlee Speakman, PEOPLE, 29 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • The Chinese retailer, known for its range of cheap ultra-fast-fashion clothing and criticisms of its labor and environmental practices, is nestled on the sixth floor of a more than century-old building in Paris, a city famous for high-end fashion and a recent green push.
    Miranda Jeyaretnam, Time, 7 Nov. 2025
  • The other side of this has been the money in the industry’s pivot first to cheaper talk shows, which don’t innovate enough to merit much critique, and now to a second pivot to turn those interview shows into video series, which makes podcasts more friendly on TikTok and Instagram and YouTube.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 7 Nov. 2025
Adjective
  • From fragmented records to corruptible datasets and the general noise across social media, agentic systems are facing a trust and truth crisis at the most fundamental level.
    Lawrence Wintermeyer, Forbes.com, 11 Sep. 2025
  • Iran prefers weak allies over strong ones, and corrupt and corruptible governments over ones that respond to their citizens’ needs.
    Graeme Wood, The Atlantic, 2 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Drone footage shows eight officers approach a motionless Green who appeared slumped over with a large pool of blood staining the driveway.
    Perry Vandell, AZCentral.com, 25 Oct. 2025
  • Foods like coffee, red wine, fruit and vegetable juices, grease and oils, tea, tomato sauce, and spices like turmeric and curry can stain, as well as ink, markers, and some cleaning chemicals.
    Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 24 Oct. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Dirty.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dirty. Accessed 9 Nov. 2025.

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