DOWN AND DIRTY Synonyms: 41 Similar and Opposite Words

down and dirty

adjective

Definition of down and dirty

as in impromptu

made or done without previous thought or preparation hoisting aloft the down and dirty sign that we had just made, we joined the protest

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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 down and dirty The Wilson, North Carolina native can get as down and dirty as your regular country boy and can also fit in among the greats. — Mya Abraham, VIBE.com, 6 Aug. 2025

Recent Examples of Synonyms for down and dirty

Adjective

With no timeouts, the Raiders rushed to the line and O’Connell, with help from an impromptu tush-push from Chris Myarick, took it across the goal line with 14 seconds left.

— Sam Warren, New York Times, 21 Aug. 2026
The frequent gatherings are often impromptu affairs, sometimes with a singular ingredient sparking the idea.

— Kate McGregor, Architectural Digest, 21 Aug. 2026

Definition of impromptu

Adjective

McCollough thought Watts was a comedic genius, and the pair shared a similar sense of humor, establishing their own bits and improvisational riffs.

— Cheyenne Roundtree, Rolling Stone, 20 Aug. 2026
This reflects the improvisational attitude that Pan, who has released several albums, first developed as a genre-defying musician and composer.

— News Desk, Artforum, 31 July 2026

Definition of improvisational

Adjective

That's enough to loosen steep slopes where some of the 210,000 islanders live off the grid in improvised housing.

— ABC News, ABC News, 16 Aug. 2026
Forecasters warn that up to 25 inches of rain and powerful winds could trigger life-threatening flooding, mudslides and even wildfires, especially in remote communities where many residents live off the grid in improvised housing.

— Jennifer Sinco Kelleher, Los Angeles Times, 15 Aug. 2026

Definition of improvised

Adjective

The spacecraft unexpectedly remained intact after splashdown in the Indian Ocean last month, prompting SpaceX officials to come up with an ad hoc plan to recover the vehicle.

— Stephen Clark, ArsTechnica, 21 Aug. 2026
Again following the lead of EV start-ups such as Tesla and Rivian, legacy automakers are shifting from these ad hoc, tiny control units to one or two big computers that run all of the software in their vehicles—and, in turn, require much more RAM.

— Matteo Wong, The Atlantic, 19 Aug. 2026

Definition of ad hoc

Browse Nearby Words

down

down and dirty

down-and-out

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“Down and dirty.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/down%20and%20dirty. Accessed 25 Aug. 2026.

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Synonyms of down and dirty

adjective

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