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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
And some of the best evidence of the lovebugs’ comeback came last week at the Turkey Lake Service Plaza on Florida’s Turnpike, where filthy, splattered cars and trucks queued up before the plaza’s automatic windshield washer. Martin E. Comas, The Orlando Sentinel, 27 May 2026 But a visually unappealing toilet seat could make an otherwise tidy bathroom look unexpectedly filthy—and there may really be more dirt and germs there than meet the eye, too. Louise Parks, Martha Stewart, 25 May 2026 Inside, filthy soldiers press up against the wood. Eliana Dockterman, Time, 12 May 2026 Baker said while Fike's immediate surroundings were filthy, a brand-new hospital bed, urinal and wheelchair were available at the home. Madeline Bartos, CBS News, 7 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for filthy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for filthy
Adjective
  • It was seized by the post office (as Rosset had expected) and duly declared obscene by the postmaster of the city of New York, a man named Robert Christenberry.
    Louis Menand, New Yorker, 1 June 2026
  • Who says a man can’t appreciate the gleaming, obscene form of an Aston Martin supercar or the growl of its overpriced engine?
    Alex James Kane, Forbes.com, 31 May 2026
Adjective
  • There are very few hints in art of dogs being dirty, vicious or rabid.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 10 June 2026
  • Merchants in fine suits rode in carriages or on sedan chairs while enslaved people lugging carts and crates wore dirty, threadbare clothing and could be publicly whipped or burned to death for misbehavior.
    Livia Gershon, JSTOR Daily, 9 June 2026
Adverb
  • Canfield, as proven by her work in Stereophonic, is extremely able at playing a character with a pristine, almost porcelain surface and roiling depths.
    Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 5 June 2026
  • This has been extremely traumatic for both of us, especially Ashley.
    Emily St. Martin, Los Angeles Times, 5 June 2026
Adjective
  • Apparently some fans were using some vulgar language toward Brunson in Game 1.
    Zach Harper, New York Times, 5 June 2026
  • Doolan also received several emails calling her a vulgar word that typically refers to women.
    Maven Navarro June 3, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 3 June 2026
Adjective
  • The other factor is June usually has a lot of dry dusty air that crosses the Atlantic from Africa.
    Doyle Rice, USA Today, 6 June 2026
  • Les Airelles Courchevel’s Hans Anderson details were crafted in the 1990s, avoiding the cold corridors and austere, dusty libraries of centuries-old country houses.
    Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 4 June 2026
Adverb
  • When Gary Vernon began riding mountain bikes in Arkansas almost 40 years ago, there was very little infrastructure intended for riders without deep experience—or a devil-may-care attitude.
    Arati Menon, Condé Nast Traveler, 7 June 2026
  • But that, believe it or not, isn't very big for here.
    John Ramos, CBS News, 7 June 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 frame structures already standing would hold stained glass in the finished church for a congregation that formed in the 1890s.
    Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 2 June 2026
  • Sprinkle borax into the toilet bowl, focusing on stained areas.
    Louise Parks, Martha Stewart, 2 June 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Filthy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/filthy. Accessed 11 Jun. 2026.

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