chiefly British

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 grotty Conners in the just-grotty-enough camp classic Showgirls; or Pamela The Last Showgirl Anderson. Raven Smith, Vogue, 14 Aug. 2025 The show, which chronicled two spiraling roommates in a grotty London flat who invariably do exactly the wrong thing, is not for the faint of heart. Natasha Frost, New York Times, 21 Mar. 2025 The assault took place on the grottiest of vessels, manned by violent criminals who had been banished into deep space. Justin Chang, The New Yorker, 28 Feb. 2025 In a stark contrast to its predecessor, the pop star’s EP tracks chronicled the sordid and grotty bits of celebrity. Charisma Madarang, Rolling Stone, 19 Feb. 2025 Bloober has translated the past as one might a literary classic, illuminating and modernizing the grottiest game to ever grace the PlayStation 2. Lewis Gordon, Vulture, 9 Oct. 2024 The film is the story of Robert (Daniel Zolghadri), who wants to reject the suburban comforts of his upbringing for a grotty world as an aspiring underground cartoonist. Mark Olsen, Los Angeles Times, 26 Aug. 2022
Recent Examples of Synonyms for grotty
Adjective
  • The couple slept on a filthy mattress on the floor with their 4-year-old son, Stephano.
    Daniel Gonzalez, AZCentral.com, 6 Nov. 2025
  • The big comedy set pieces overwhelm Miller’s attempts at satire, but any movie that has Nicholson casually dropping filthy double (and single) entendres beneath arched eyebrows is worth a look.
    Keith Phipps, Vulture, 31 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • People pour in from the dense warrens of India’s financial capital and from dusty villages thousands of kilometers away, all flowing towards the fortified, sea-facing Mumbai home of actor Shah Rukh Khan.
    Rhea Mogul, CNN Money, 9 Nov. 2025
  • Workers are startled when a jar tumbles out of a dusty box and rolls onto the ground.
    Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 6 Nov. 2025
Adjective
  • Among them is the question of whether to use stained parts of the haversacks — possibly containing blood — on the straps’ reverse side, or to cut around them entirely.
    Oscar Holland, CNN Money, 6 Nov. 2025
  • The stained glass traces a hierarchy from the current dean to the Crown and then to God.
    Rick Burton, Sportico.com, 6 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • The boots have deep, high-traction treads that grip muddy ground, mixed terrain, and even ice.
    Sian Babish, PEOPLE, 8 Nov. 2025
  • So kids and adults alike can take a quick bathroom break without having to tramp through the interior, getting back to the outdoor activities of the day without peeling off muddy boots or clothes.
    New Atlas, New Atlas, 4 Nov. 2025
Adjective
  • The land, unfenced, abuts a bald blackened hillside that must be public land.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 28 Aug. 2025
  • In its time open, fueled by fans of its blackened mahi and buttery lobster rolls, owner Mike Smith has expanded his footprint, moving into a larger stall in the popular food hall — which has allowed for a menu expansion, as well.
    Amy Drew Thompson, Orlando Sentinel, 6 Dec. 2022
Adjective
  • Bliss is said to have examined Garfield's wounds with unwashed hands and dirty tools, and the president's death further damaged his reputation.
    Allison DeGrushe, Entertainment Weekly, 10 Nov. 2025
  • Solar power cuts greenhouse gas emissions and local air pollution from dirty generators that can cause health problems.
    Jeff Young, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Nov. 2025
Adjective
  • The growth of passive investing, through index funds found in the 401(k) accounts of average Americans, has propped up the stock market while also potentially setting it up for a nasty fall.
    Mark Dent, HubSpot, 7 Nov. 2025
  • Instead of this stuff that's raised overseas that's done in ways that doesn't have any checks, that it's got polluted water, it's being fed really nasty stuff, full of antibiotics, full of chemicals.
    Dan Morrison, USA Today, 7 Nov. 2025
Adjective
  • Geirþrúður has wrapped a large towel around herself but her shoulders are still bare and her December-dark hair is wet and wild and possibly blacker than it’s ever been.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 10 Nov. 2025
  • From the balcony, Kate appeared still, serene and composed in an all-black ensemble, accessorized with a black hat, scarf, her RAF brooch and the traditional red poppy.
    Erin Hill, PEOPLE, 9 Nov. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Grotty.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/grotty. Accessed 14 Nov. 2025.

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