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
  • Last year, after signing a $132 million contract extension with the Pittsburgh Steelers following a trade, he was docked another $26,000 for fighting and making an obscene gesture.
    Jonathan Jones, New York Times, 8 Sep. 2026
  • There was a dog’s leg that had been sewn on near a man’s crotch in a way that seemed like an obscene visual pun.
    John Phipps, New Yorker, 5 Sep. 2026
Adjective
  • This tension is often subtext enough, and it’s accentuated by cinematographer Adric Watson’s tight and dirty frames, which confine Maya and Arti through astute visual composition, as the reality of their cushy lives is gradually illuminated.
    Siddhant Adlakha, Variety, 5 Sep. 2026
  • Traction pods along the sneaker’s outsole make the shoe grippy on wet ground and durable enough to handle dirty trails and some rocky terrain.
    Jasmine Gomez, Travel + Leisure, 5 Sep. 2026
Adverb
  • Christner studies microorganisms that are able to survive in extremely low temperatures.
    Jonathan Jones, New York Times, 8 Sep. 2026
  • Deposition systems add extremely thin layers of material onto a silicon wafer.
    Christopher McFadden, Interesting Engineering, 7 Sep. 2026
Adjective
  • Decide for yourself whether that’s a bold indicator of English football’s superiority over the rest of the world, or a revolting symbol of the bloated and vulgar behemoth that the game has become.
    Nick Miller, New York Times, 4 Sep. 2026
  • However, recent scholarship posits that the structure was used as ordinary (rather than punitive) housing, and that the vulgar decor was in fact a distinguishing characteristic of the epoch.
    Jim Greer, SPIN, 3 Sep. 2026
Adjective
  • One Baguette is covered in a kaleidoscopic geometric pattern of colorful beads; another resembles a tiny textile artwork in dusty pink, green, and turquoise.
    Lilah Ramzi, Vogue, 3 Sep. 2026
  • One rises, then another, then seemingly all of them—great striped bulbs of crimson, lemon yellow, and turquoise drifting between the fairy chimneys as the first sunlight catches the dusty pink folds of the landscape.
    Scott Campbell, Condé Nast Traveler, 2 Sep. 2026
Adverb
  • The artists at The Library Show paid The Garage’s proposed no Milwaukee rap very little mind.
    Caden Perry, jsonline.com, 4 Sep. 2026
  • Films can change the world, or at the very least, the people who walk it.
    Marshall Shaffer, IndieWire, 3 Sep. 2026
Adjective
  • Authorities say the girl was subsequently subjected to threats, emotional blackmail, surveillance and physical violence and forced to produce pornographic material and participate in online webcam sessions.
    Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 4 Sep. 2026
  • The sheriff’s office said Ahlers had hundreds, and possibly thousands, of pornographic photos and videos of children on his hard drive.
    Steven Walker, The Orlando Sentinel, 24 Aug. 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 11 Sep. 2026.

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