dirtied 1 of 2

adjective

as in soiled

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dirtied

2 of 2

verb

past tense of dirty
as in stained
to make dirty she dirtied her new sneakers when she splashed in the puddle

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 dirtied
Adjective
Book Tower finally found its savior in Detroit businessman Dan Gilbert, whose real estate firm, Bedrock, bought the distressed property from a foreign corporation in 2015 and proceeded with an extensive $317 million redevelopment project, including a deep cleaning of the dirtied limestone facade. — Jc Reindl, Freep.com, 31 Mar. 2026 No player captured his heart quite like the Phillies second baseman best known for an understated vibe, dirtied uniforms and supreme feel for the game. — Cody Stavenhagen, New York Times, 24 Feb. 2026 The dirtied shirt of the peeping tom in the video reminds him of his attacker’s dirty shirt, leading Ron to find the man’s hiding spot outside the office. — Ben Rosenstock, Vulture, 20 Oct. 2025
Verb
When stormwater dirtied by road runoff, failing septic tanks and fertilizer sullied crystal-clear rivers and lakes, and nobody cared. — Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board, The Orlando Sentinel, 11 Jan. 2026 Garments can be dirtied again by the elements if air-dried outside. — Mary Cornetta, Better Homes & Gardens, 20 Dec. 2025 The ashes from the crematorium chimney covered the streets, sooted the rain, dirtied the snow, damaged the crops, infected every body. — Literary Hub, 23 Oct. 2025 At Dilara Findikoglu, models looked like ladies in waiting that had risen from the dead; wearing antiquated corsetry that was dirtied and torn. — Leah Dolan, CNN Money, 23 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dirtied
  1. soiled
  2. stained
  3. begrimed
  4. blackened
  5. corrupted
  6. sullied
  7. spoiled
  8. debased
Adjective
  • The mop head was stored directly inside the mop bucket, soiled and wet, and not in use.
    — Veronica Fernandez-Alvarado July 24, Sacbee.com, 24 July 2026
  • Let the cleaner sit for 15 minutes and blot the excess, or cover it with a damp cloth and leave it for up to 24 hours for heavily soiled or old, set-in spots.
    — Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 26 June 2026
Definition of soiled
Verb
  • His youth was stained by dysfunction and neglect, adverse childhood experiences that increase the risk of mental illness.
    — Emerson Clarridge, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 7 Aug. 2026
  • The toes of the woman who wore it must have been stained red.
    — Cynthia Zarin, Harpers Magazine, 4 Aug. 2026
Definition of stained
Adjective
  • His powerful and begrimed hands cradled each item as delicately as a bird’s egg before squaring it away.
    — Kent Russell, Harper's Magazine, 11 May 2022
  • In a theatre that admits no light or sound from the outside world, the audience watches as poor, begrimed laborers and criminals are pushed onstage to shoot their kids and stab their teachers.
    — Merve Emre, The New Yorker, 12 Apr. 2021
Definition of begrimed
Verb
  • It was blackened, charred, the conductor that had drawn the single precise punch of lightning.
    — Brian Truitt, USA Today, 27 July 2026
  • Elephant Fire The Elephant Fire, burning since July 11 in the Tahoe National Forest, has blackened nearly 14,000 acres in Sierra, Plumas and Lassen counties, and is 92% contained.
    — Darrell Smith, Sacbee.com, 21 July 2026
Definition of blackened
Adjective
  • The anime merely depicts a border spat between a few small nations, whereas the manga is more global in reach and also deals with much of the underlying mysteries of the corrupted world the characters now live in.
    — Ollie Barder, Forbes.com, 29 July 2026
  • Clark has a lot in common with Sam Neill’s corrupted scientist in Event Horizon.
    — Tasha Robinson, Vulture, 29 May 2026
Definition of corrupted
Verb
  • Such shenanigans are more or less expected, and certainly haven’t forever sullied the American soccer fan base, at least here at home.
    — Jay Caspian Kang, New Yorker, 7 July 2026
  • Soap invited its viewers to take jabs at the genre in a time when the soap opera’s reputation had already been sullied in the American mind.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 18 May 2026
Definition of sullied
Adjective
  • Papayas that are mostly green are not ripe, while those with many soft spots or darker, shriveled skin are overripe or spoiled.
    — Sherri Gordon, Health, 2 Aug. 2026
  • The city is now focused on spoiled food waste cleanup, interim housing for affected residents, and fining Lineage over ongoing air quality issues.
    — Gavin J. Quinton, Los Angeles Times, 31 July 2026
Definition of spoiled
Adjective
  • That wasn’t its only subject; comedy and power and misogyny and creativity and intergenerational conflict and work ethic and, especially in its last few seasons, the debased state of the entertainment industry were all richly explored through lines.
    — Judy Berman, Time, 8 July 2026
  • And this has lent Margot a debased sort of celebrity.
    — Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 6 Apr. 2026
Definition of debased

Browse Nearby Words

dirt cheap
dirtied
dirties
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Cite this Entry

“Dirtied.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dirtied. Accessed 10 Aug. 2026.

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