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
  • Jackson Lamb has long, greasy hair and a pot belly over which hangs a filthy old trench coat.
    Barbara Ellis, Denver Post, 20 Oct. 2025
  • On the other end, Ja’Marr Chase is coming off an absolutely filthy touchdown grab last Sunday.
    Steven Louis Goldstein, New York Times, 16 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • This is not a dusty collection or hodgepodge of Gold Rush artifacts placed around a xeriscape.
    David Caraccio, Sacbee.com, 25 Oct. 2025
  • The old shelves with their dusty cans were gone, replaced by three wooden pillars, each with a small platform at chest height.
    David Wingrave, Harpers Magazine, 24 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • The stained glass traces a hierarchy from the current dean to the Crown and then to God.
    Rick Burton, Sportico.com, 6 Oct. 2025
  • Wood stained baseboards may need a gentler cleaning approach, such as Murphy’s Oil Soap, to protect the finish.
    Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 19 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • Many of the town’s colorful homes, historical buildings and lush greenery have been reduced to piles of rubble that litter the now-muddy ground.
    Devon Sayers, CNN Money, 30 Oct. 2025
  • Ten years ago, while using GPS and weather-monitoring equipment, researchers developed a theory that a combination of ice, sunlight, rain, and high winds creates a scenario where the stones could feasibly be pushed across the firm but muddy surface of the former lake.
    Graham Averill, Outside, 28 Oct. 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
  • The clinic was dirtier than any of the animal hospitals that Strickland had worked in, with swarms of cockroaches hiding between the metal cages.
    Ava Kofman, New Yorker, 3 Nov. 2025
  • Also, dual water tanks ensure the robot vacuum is not recirculating dirty water on my hard floors.
    Terri Williams, Architectural Digest, 3 Nov. 2025
Adjective
  • The discrepancy has divided voters, stirred up nasty social media exchanges and even inspired an 18-year-old Lakota grad to throw his hat in the district's school board race.
    Grace Tucker, Cincinnati Enquirer, 29 Oct. 2025
  • And any school or school district that does try to discriminate, that man right there will probably first send you a nasty gram and then drop the hammer.
    Kimberlee Speakman, PEOPLE, 29 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • The Steve Madde Rafe Mule in black leather is where comfort meets style.
    Rosie Marder, Travel + Leisure, 2 Nov. 2025
  • Her hair is often a massive tangle of black curls, her nails are expertly polished, her huge brown eyes peer out from spidery lashes, and her skin is cocoa-butter smooth.
    Stephanie Mansfield, Vogue, 2 Nov. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Grotty.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/grotty. Accessed 7 Nov. 2025.

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