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dirty

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adjective

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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 dirtiness
Adjective
Drawer Organizers Drawer organizers can get dirty with frequent use but are rarely deep-cleaned. Nafeesah Allen, Better Homes & Gardens, 19 May 2025 What is more confronting is that the central character is a girl of 13 who has just been forcibly tattooed by a classmate with a dirty hypodermic. Stephanie Bunbury, Deadline, 19 May 2025
Verb
For example, a small non-shedding dog that rarely goes outside won't dirty a bed nearly as fast as a large labarador that plays outside daily. Halee Miller Van Ryswyk, Better Homes & Gardens, 7 Apr. 2025 Grease dirtied the handles of the ovens, the microwave ovens and the coolers. David J. Neal, Miami Herald, 14 Feb. 2025
Adverb
The campaign gained intensity when photos circulated on the Internet of Ya Ya looking dirty and gaunt (by panda standards) with patchy fur. Ashraf Khalil and Didi Tang, The Christian Science Monitor, 3 Oct. 2023 During the Cold War, Washington routinely played dirty to protect the liberal order. Victor Cha, Foreign Affairs, 14 Dec. 2022 See All Example Sentences for dirtiness
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dirtiness
Adjective
  • After being fired from SNL, Silverman scored a part playing a misunderstood filthy comedy writer on The Larry Sanders Show, Shandling’s classic send-up of the talk-show game.
    Stephen Rodrick, Rolling Stone, 18 May 2025
  • Who doesn’t rinse out (and ideally wash) a filthy blender filled with milky stuff?
    Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 7 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • After the man told the boy to get out of the road, the juvenile responded with cursing and an obscene gesture, the report said.
    Jim Woods, Chicago Tribune, 15 May 2025
  • Stop into any local bakery and ask for their specialty, many of which contain obscene amounts of egg yolks.
    Jess Fleming, Twin Cities, 26 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • These steps prevent, rather than heal, costly losses that weaken a company’s cash position, especially in turbulent times.
    Dean Kaplan, Forbes.com, 22 May 2025
  • This time, there’s still some uneasiness around the organization, mainly rooted in its turbulent recent past.
    James L. Edwards III, New York Times, 22 May 2025
Adjective
  • When the ball dinged off the right-field foul pole, a euphoric Crow-Armstrong tossed his bat toward the Cubs dugout and pounded his chest before rounding the bases to celebrate the grand slam and second home run of the game.
    Meghan Montemurro, Chicago Tribune, 24 May 2025
  • That didn’t leave enough time to evaluate if Rooker’s double bounced off the wall or the foul pole.
    Chris Biderman, Sacbee.com, 23 May 2025
Adjective
  • Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was brilliant (35 points), and the Thunder defense was nasty.
    Chris Branch, New York Times, 19 May 2025
  • But Laxe’s cadence of death is nasty and arbitrary and delightful.
    Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 18 May 2025
Adjective
  • Three or four people to one cabin was far cheaper than the same number of people booking three or four plane tickets to get to Spain.
    Jack Pitt-Brooke, New York Times, 21 May 2025
  • Once delivered, framing and panel assembly are faster and cheaper than conventional builds—cutting structural build time by 40% and labor costs by 20%.
    Jennifer Castenson, Forbes.com, 21 May 2025
Verb
  • Plus, the matte, two-tone color scheme helps resist staining, maintaining the spoons' stylish appeal over time.
    Toby Rose, Parents, 22 May 2025
  • Then, once completed, pasting begins, where mud from the henna plant is placed atop the area to stain.
    Kiana Murden, Vogue, 22 May 2025
Noun
  • An earnest, has-a-costume-for-everything kind of guy, Daub is allergic to the greige and the dinge.
    Sandra Upson, Wired, 18 Jan. 2021
  • Dinges said the two crewmembers whose sleep remained steady -- even in the absence of conventional daylight -- were those who kept to a strict schedule and found other ways to control their biological clocks.
    Michael Nedelman, CNN, 1 June 2017

Cite this Entry

“Dirtiness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dirtiness. Accessed 29 May. 2025.

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