1
as in filthy
not clean
after working in the factory all day, his clothes are very dirty
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in obscene
depicting or referring to sexual matters in a way that is unacceptable in polite society
some radio stations refused to play the song because of the dirty lyrics
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3
as in turbulent
marked by wet and windy conditions
they were unknowingly sailing into dirty weather
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4
as in foul
not being in accordance with the rules or standards of what is fair in sport
the school is known for the dirty football it plays
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5
as in nasty
not following or in accordance with standards of honor and decency
accused the other campaign of playing dirty tricks
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6
as in cheap
arousing or deserving of one's loathing and disgust
laying off longtime employees was a dirty way for the company to reduce labor costs and save money
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7
as in corruptible
open to improper influence and especially bribery
a movie about a dirty cop paid to protect a mafioso
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as in to stain
to make dirty
she dirtied her new sneakers when she splashed in the puddle
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as in illegally
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Dissimilar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of dirty
Lillie Davidson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 8 Nov. 2025
That breaks down as 30 by the back door landing on bags of beans and rice; 40 by the three-compartment sink and dry storage shelves, landing on spices and dirty dishes; 10 by a kitchen prep table; 10 under another prep table; 10 by the walk-in freezer and steam table; and two by the front counter.
—David J. Neal, Miami Herald, 7 Nov. 2025
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
Adjective
Inspectors observed a roach inside a dirty microwave.
—Lillie Davidson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 8 Nov. 2025
That breaks down as 30 by the back door landing on bags of beans and rice; 40 by the three-compartment sink and dry storage shelves, landing on spices and dirty dishes; 10 by a kitchen prep table; 10 under another prep table; 10 by the walk-in freezer and steam table; and two by the front counter.
—David J. Neal, Miami Herald, 7 Nov. 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
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The couple slept on a filthy mattress on the floor with their 4-year-old son, Stephano.—
Daniel Gonzalez,
AZCentral.com,
6 Nov. 2025
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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
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Banners containing commercial, political or obscene material, or that block guest views.—
Ed Masley,
AZCentral.com,
4 Nov. 2025
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Just another week in the world of Ball, who was fined $35,000 by the NBA on Monday for making an obscene gesture in the fourth quarter of the Hornets’ 144-117 loss to Miami.—
Roderick Boone,
Charlotte Observer,
2 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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The Dallas Mavericks fired general manager Nico Harrison on Tuesday, marking the end of a turbulent tenure defined by bold moves, fan unrest, and a season that spiraled after the controversial Luka Dončić trade.—
Andy Scholes,
CNN Money,
11 Nov. 2025
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Prewitt, who has led IFTA and the AFM through some of the most turbulent years in the history of independent film — through the rise of streaming and the collapse of the theatrical market, the COVID shutdowns and the dual strikes — will be stepping down after this year’s AFM.—
Kevin Cassidy,
HollywoodReporter,
11 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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This mostly came from a high-profile matchup against the Lakers in which Rui Hachimura defended Wemby well and Marcus Smart flopped his way into a couple of offensive foul calls against Wembanyama.—
Zach Harper,
New York Times,
10 Nov. 2025
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The album’s messy yet seamless scatter-spray of instruments—cello, hand shakers, piano—gets torn apart by the foulest plumes of bass.—
Kieran Press-Reynolds,
Pitchfork,
6 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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The growth of passive investing, through index funds found in the 401(k) accounts of average Americans, has propped up the stock market while also potentially setting it up for a nasty fall.—
Mark Dent,
HubSpot,
7 Nov. 2025
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Instead of this stuff that's raised overseas that's done in ways that doesn't have any checks, that it's got polluted water, it's being fed really nasty stuff, full of antibiotics, full of chemicals.—
Dan Morrison,
USA Today,
7 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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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
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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
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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
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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
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Scorched and stained pots and pans almost always require scraping and scouring, and cast-iron skillets can rust when soaked.—
Brandee Gruener,
Southern Living,
6 Nov. 2025
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Julia Fox's costume consisted of a pink suit stained with fake blood, meant to resemble the former first lady shortly after the assassination of her husband.—
Lauren Huff,
Entertainment Weekly,
31 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Dirty.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dirty. Accessed 16 Nov. 2025.
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