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Definition of filthynext
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filthy

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adverb

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective filthy differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of filthy are dirty, foul, nasty, and squalid. While all these words mean "conspicuously unclean or impure," 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 might dirty be a better fit than filthy?

In some situations, the words dirty and filthy are roughly equivalent. However, 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 would foul be a good substitute for filthy?

The words foul and filthy are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, 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 is nasty related to other words for filthy?

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

In what contexts can squalid take the place of filthy?

The synonyms squalid and filthy are sometimes interchangeable, but 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 filthy
Adjective
Then downstairs in the filthy little basement, where there's the stone butt carved into the wall, people knew exactly what to do. Matt Ortile, Condé Nast Traveler, 2 May 2026 Strong supports the closing of Men’s Central Jail and said the department needed to look at medical care, filthy living conditions and a lack of healthy food and clean water. Los Angeles Times, 1 May 2026 Reach-in coolers that didn’t keep food safe from bacteria growth and utensils stored in filthy spots shut down a Miami restaurant after inspection last week. David J. Neal, Miami Herald, 28 Apr. 2026 Stanley dealers were not in cutthroat competition for filthy lucre. Literary Hub, 28 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for filthy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for filthy
Adjective
  • That’s enough to send Tom over the edge, screaming at his boss about how his obscene hobby doesn’t give him any idea what war is really like.
    Scott Tobias, Vulture, 24 May 2026
  • Russian authorities continue to pay obscene sums for those willing to sign up.
    Daniel DePetris, Mercury News, 23 May 2026
Adjective
  • The legal, commercial, and reputational risks of avoiding dirty leather will fall on your shoulders.
    Jasmin Malik Chua, Footwear News, 26 May 2026
  • Sleep deprivation and dirty diapers are a small price to pay to feel such love.
    Luke Smith, New York Times, 25 May 2026
Adverb
  • The club had learned to accept that the 51-year-old is extremely demanding and ambitious, qualities that actually made working with him a challenge at times.
    Matt Woosnam, New York Times, 28 May 2026
  • Donley says that all the evidence presented in court shows that storing this waste in close proximity to homes, schools, and waterways would be extremely harmful to the local population's health and the environment.
    Heath Kalb, CBS News, 28 May 2026
Adjective
  • Her husband says that's a very vulgar pet.
    Danielle Parker, CBS News, 28 May 2026
  • Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor’s biographer Andrew Lownie shared a vulgar pickup line that the former prince allegedly used while trying to pick up women.
    Rachel Burchfield, InStyle, 28 May 2026
Adjective
  • If that bottle hiding in the back of your bar cart is dusty and doesn't taste the same, buy a fresh one.
    Kait Hanson, Southern Living, 29 May 2026
  • The shoes also come in a range of standout colorways, including an electric orange-and-blue combo and an off-white-and-dusty-gray pair.
    Annie Blackman, InStyle, 29 May 2026
Adverb
  • Los Angeles County voters will cast ballots Tuesday in two very different races for county supervisor.
    Connor Sheets, Los Angeles Times, 30 May 2026
  • At least one watchdog group warned the legislation could poke more holes into the property tax base for very large developers across the state, not just the Bears.
    Jeremy Gorner, Chicago Tribune, 30 May 2026
Adjective
  • There is plenty of pornographic decoration in contemporary popular culture, but very little of it is consequential.
    Becca Rothfeld, New Yorker, 1 June 2026
  • Authorities alleged that their tactics included intimidating the women, placing them under constant surveillance and forcing them to perform pornographic acts that were then shared on social media.
    Lynsey Eidell, PEOPLE, 31 May 2026
Adjective
  • The Or Foundation estimates that roughly 15 million castoff garments from Canada, China, the United States, the United Kingdom and the European Union enter the market weekly, and about 40 percent leave as waste because they are torn, stained or otherwise too damaged to resell.
    Jasmin Malik Chua, Footwear News, 28 May 2026
  • The light, filtered through stained glass, shifts the mood from one side of the basilica to the other.
    David Nikel, Forbes.com, 27 May 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Filthy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/filthy. Accessed 2 Jun. 2026.

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