dirt

noun

ˈdərt How to pronounce dirt (audio)
Definition of dirtnext
1
as in soil
the loose surface material in which plants naturally grow dig into the dirt to a depth of about three inches

Synonyms & Similar Words

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2
as in land
the solid part of our planet's surface as distinguished from the sea and air at the first sound of gunfire we hit the dirt

Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in muck
foul matter that mars the purity or cleanliness of something there's some dirt on your shoes

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in grossness
the quality or state of being obscene appalled by the dirt in the author's novels

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in dung
solid matter discharged from an animal's alimentary canal tread carefully, as there's cow dirt all over the pasture

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 dirt While there are obvious signs of dirt or grime, the unfortunate reality is that germs and bacteria are invisible to the human eye. — Joey Skladany, Travel + Leisure, 30 June 2026 Driving into the estate down a dirt track, you’re met with concrete walls that frame the space with gallery-like precision, directing your eyes toward geological features rather than distracting from them. — Lara Johnson-Wheeler, Vogue, 3 July 2026 Dual suspension helps smooth rough trails, hydraulic disc brakes provide dependable stopping power in changing conditions, and four-inch fat tires improve traction across gravel, dirt, sand, and pavement. — New Atlas, 2 July 2026 Kansas Citians used sandbags, broken concrete, mounds of dirt and rocks from local quarries, and junked cars to shore up the levees protecting Municipal Airport and North Kansas City. — Kansas City Public Library Staff, Kansas City Star, 1 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for dirt
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dirt
  1. soil
  2. land
  3. muck
  4. grossness
  5. dung
  6. ground
  7. sewage
  8. vulgarity
Noun
  • The family fought for three hours last July Fourth to stay alive after more than a summer’s worth of rain fell overnight on bone-dry soil, pushing the waterway from about 3 feet to 30 feet in just 45 minutes.
    — Alisha Ebrahimji, CNN Money, 6 July 2026
  • The animals damage agricultural land, consume native vegetation, contribute to soil erosion and compete with livestock for forage.
    — Amber Harding OutKick, FOXNews.com, 5 July 2026
Definition of soil
Noun
  • The oppressive heat wave lands at the same time the nation is observing 250 years since our Declaration of Independence was approved by the Continental Congress.
    — Dinah Voyles Pulver, USA Today, 3 July 2026
  • The transfer of 136 acres just south of the community of Westport will mark the first time land managed by the California Department of Transportation has been returned to Indigenous tribes.
    — Alex Wigglesworth, Los Angeles Times, 3 July 2026
Definition of land
Noun
  • No wonder Yard Act realized music is the lifeline that just might pull us back out of the muck.
    — Hattie Lindert, Pitchfork, 25 June 2026
  • France played through the rain and muck to beat Iraq 3-0 behind two goals from Kylian Mbappé.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 22 June 2026
Definition of muck
Noun
  • All your Dad has to do is fill it and drink—the microfilter membrane will do the rest by removing chlorine odors, dirt, bacteria, and any other grossness floating around in there.
    — Francesca Krempa, Travel + Leisure, 11 June 2026
  • There are no great surprises from here on out, though the sheer, lusty grossness of the fallout is occasionally startling.
    — Guy Lodge, Variety, 16 Apr. 2026
Definition of grossness
Noun
  • When not elbow-deep in dino dung or outrunning raptors, Laura Dern's heartfelt performance in Jurassic Park shows why women really deserve to inherit the Earth — and all of the acting awards.
    — Huntley Woods, Entertainment Weekly, 11 June 2026
  • The team ended up with a jar of elephant dung scent.
    — RJ Mackenzie, Popular Science, 11 June 2026
Definition of dung
Noun
  • Changes included a longer project timeline, uncertainty over whether the developers could provide community amenities such as a pool and less profitable ground lease terms, according to the district.
    — Clara Harter, Los Angeles Times, 9 July 2026
  • Now that space is a market and not just a proving ground, the engineering that was once the whole game is only the cost of entry — and as in any maturing market, most ventures will not make it past that threshold.
    — Charlotte Kiang, Forbes.com, 9 July 2026
Definition of ground
Noun
  • The theory is that the deluge, which broke January daily rainfall records for Sydney, flushed sewage and other waste into the nearby coastal waters, attracting baitfish, which in turn lured sharks closer to shore.
    — Sam Nichols, Scientific American, 8 July 2026
  • Haverhill installed a second bypass line to help better control the flow of sewage after two breaks and a massive sewage overflow for five days last week, helping secure the system as more rains threatened the temporary bypass Tuesday.
    — Grace Zokovitch, Boston Herald, 7 July 2026
Definition of sewage
Noun
  • The once-vaunted values of public life are now reduced to the lower standards of private life—venality, vulgarity, rudeness, incontinence, and ignorance.
    — Simon Sebag Montefiore, The Atlantic, 28 June 2026
  • Benoit delights in language as much as her heroine, weaving Regency-era slang throughout and appending a chapter-by-chapter glossary of vulgarities.
    — Angelina Mazza, Vulture, 19 June 2026
Definition of vulgarity

Phrases Containing dirt

Browse Nearby Words

dirks
dirt
dirtbag
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Cite this Entry

“Dirt.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dirt. Accessed 10 Jul. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of dirt for Spanish Speakers

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