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
His greatest series let people see a character who has revealed the filthiest, most shameful parts of themselves, and imagine them as a mirror. Ct Jones, Rolling Stone, 8 Aug. 2026 Also in July, following a tenant’s eviction, the NYPD and ASPCA discovered nine dead cats inside the filthy, unkempt Queens apartment. Emma Seiwell, New York Daily News, 7 Aug. 2026 Cleaning our planet’s filthy ports could one day get a boost from a creature with a very messy nickname. Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 30 July 2026 The language used in this book is often vile, at times so filthy that the publishers have been compelled to resort to the dash, a device seldom employed in these unsqueamish days. Literary Hub, 23 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for filthy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for filthy
Adjective
  • The Tarrant County decorum policy prohibits personal attacks, impertinent, profane, obscene, or slanderous remarks as well as threatening, disruptive or unruly behavior.
    Rachel Royster, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 24 Aug. 2026
  • Starks said the obscene gesture was meant as a joke to teammates.
    Chris Perkins, Sun Sentinel, 24 Aug. 2026
Adjective
  • As Coca-Cola works to automate dirty soda and refreshers, CNBC's Amelia Lucas takes readers inside the secretive labs where the soda maker is planning its next wave of innovation.
    Alex Harring, CNBC, 24 Aug. 2026
  • When younger brother Naz arrives with an unexpected guest in tow, tensions simmer, eventually boiling over into violence as the family’s dirty secrets are revealed.
    Suzanne Van Atten, AJC.com, 24 Aug. 2026
Adverb
  • The balance between efficiency and pleasantness in doing business seems extremely hard to achieve.
    Judith Martin, Mercury News, 25 Aug. 2026
  • Naegleria fowleri infections are extremely rare, with only 180 confirmed between 1937 and 2025, according to the Louisiana Department of Health.
    Diego Mendoza, CNN Money, 24 Aug. 2026
Adjective
  • But the school’s dress code prohibits messages that are lewd, indecent, vulgar or profane.
    Maureen Groppe, USA Today, 1 Aug. 2026
  • Lonnie is loud, obnoxious, and vulgar in ways that rankle traditional golfers.
    Ben Travers, IndieWire, 16 July 2026
Adjective
  • Say goodbye to dusty interiors and read on for our top picks for the best cordless stick vacuums, spin mops, and two-in-one vac-and-mop robot vacs.
    Yelena Moroz Alpert, Architectural Digest, 20 Aug. 2026
  • Even as dusty plasma at small scales organizes itself in two dimensions, the researchers plan to carry to out 3D simulations in the future.
    Ameya Paleja, Interesting Engineering, 18 Aug. 2026
Adverb
  • Romanian officials have warned that the danger to border communities is very real.
    David Brennan, ABC News, 21 Aug. 2026
  • California eventually adopted a very limited film tax credit plan in 2009, but even then production had already gone elsewhere.
    Stacy Perman, Los Angeles Times, 20 Aug. 2026
Adjective
  • The employees also sent pornographic magazines with David Steiner’s name to a neighbor’s home and planned to install a GPS device on the couple’s car.
    Leah Willingham, Los Angeles Times, 29 July 2026
  • In 2014, Andrew Tate began his pornographic webcamming empire, recruiting women by dating and plying them with gifts.
    Brady Knox, The Washington Examiner, 22 July 2026
Adjective
  • How To Deep Clean Stained Wood Baseboards For stained wood baseboards, Matthews advises dusting using a dry microfiber cloth and Murphy’s Oil or a wood cleaning oil (remove excessive dirt and crumbs with a vacuum cleaner first).
    Daley Quinn, Southern Living, 19 Aug. 2026
  • The stained glass above the front door had fallen into the street, held up only by a single cord.
    Eleanor Nash, Kansas City Star, 19 Aug. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Filthy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/filthy. Accessed 26 Aug. 2026.

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