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
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
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Recent Examples of dirt
In our increasingly digital world, the most rewarding click is still the sound of a trowel tapping cold, spring dirt.
—
Jamie Siebrase, Denver Post, 8 May 2026
The city of Detroit is tightening its vetting process for fill dirt used at demolition sites.
—Jack Springgate, CBS News, 8 May 2026
On another, viewers might linger on a picture of dirt, which Siegel captured during a trip 120 feet underground while the station was under construction.
—Los Angeles Times, 8 May 2026
France took a ball, swung through a fastball, took another ball and then fouled off two pitches before watching a ball in the dirt.
—Kevin Acee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for dirt
Jamie Siebrase, Denver Post, 8 May 2026
The city of Detroit is tightening its vetting process for fill dirt used at demolition sites.
—Jack Springgate, CBS News, 8 May 2026
On another, viewers might linger on a picture of dirt, which Siegel captured during a trip 120 feet underground while the station was under construction.
—Los Angeles Times, 8 May 2026
France took a ball, swung through a fastball, took another ball and then fouled off two pitches before watching a ball in the dirt.
—Kevin Acee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for dirt
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dirt
Noun
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For example, most labels won’t tell you what kind of soil a plant needs; only some plants can handle the dense, alkaline clay soil common in the Chicago area.—
Beth Botts,
Chicago Tribune,
9 May 2026
-
Many solitary wasps dig nesting chambers in sandy soils, like the cicada killer and the great golden digger wasps.—
Pamm Cooper,
Hartford Courant,
9 May 2026
Noun
-
By 1890, the population of Los Angeles had nearly quintupled, and land speculation in the city’s outlying areas, from the coast to the mountains, was rampant.—
Oren Peleg,
New Yorker,
9 May 2026
-
On land within 200 feet of a stop, a project can include 140 units per acre and be up to 85 feet tall.—
David Garrick,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
9 May 2026
Noun
-
The highest-scoring, fastest-flying team on the ice this season just can't seem to completely solve the lock-down, muck-up-the-middle approach of the Los Angeles Kings.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
22 Apr. 2026
-
Popular with airboaters, froggers and fishermen, the swampy muck beneath the water may have acted as a pincushion, essentially swallowing the disabled DC-9 aircraft.—
Miami Herald Archives,
Miami Herald,
21 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
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
-
If an exclamation point only signified gore and grossness, this gothic rock opera would more than qualify.—
Rachel Simon,
Vulture,
6 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Release of dung increases soil organic carbon and helps build soil structure that improves water filtration and soil aeration.—
Paige Stein,
Hartford Courant,
4 May 2026
-
They can be sampled using standardized trapping methods worldwide, since they are easily attracted to dung and carrion, which allows for comparable data across different regions.—
Doyle Rice,
USA Today,
5 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Original wood paneling lines much of the interior, while the heavily landscaped grounds feature winding stone paths and a koi pond tucked into the backyard.—
Abby Montanez,
Robb Report,
8 May 2026
-
The company’s public framing leans so heavily on markets as an early proving ground.—
Lyssanoel Frater,
USA Today,
8 May 2026
Noun
-
When maintenance issues reached a crisis point with sewage overflow in 2023, residents turned to the attorney general to intervene.—
Don Stacom,
Hartford Courant,
30 Apr. 2026
-
Raw sewage poured into the Hudson and Chicago Rivers.—
Elizabeth Kolbert,
New Yorker,
30 Apr. 2026
Noun
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In addition, prosecutors say swastikas, antisemitic slogans and vulgarity were spray-painted on pillars underneath M-53 and Canal, a brick wall near a business and an electrical box at a second business.—
Joseph Buczek,
CBS News,
22 Apr. 2026
-
His vulgarity, insults and threats do not make America great.—
Voice of the People,
New York Daily News,
11 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Dirt.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dirt. Accessed 10 May. 2026.
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