1
as in filthy
not clean
clean off those grubby hands before you touch anything
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in dirty
arousing or deserving of one's loathing and disgust
that's a grubby reason to stop talking to a friend
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of grubby
But watching a group of roughnecks on a rig in grubby overalls moving huge, long steel pipes, Dugan's smile begins to fade to a smirk.
—
Kirk Siegler, NPR, 24 Apr. 2025
The Belvedere is one of the old buildings in Queens whose name conjures up a sense of grandiosity in our grubby city lives.
—Clio Chang, Curbed, 25 Feb. 2025
Despite the grim proceedings and grubby environment, the spatial arrangement of the image brings to mind a theatre balcony packed with eager punters ready to consume their money’s worth of entertainment.
—Naomi Fry, The New Yorker, 22 Feb. 2025
Unbrushed hair and slightly grubby sweatshirt?
—Claire Cohen, Vogue, 9 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for grubby
Kirk Siegler, NPR, 24 Apr. 2025
The Belvedere is one of the old buildings in Queens whose name conjures up a sense of grandiosity in our grubby city lives.
—Clio Chang, Curbed, 25 Feb. 2025
Despite the grim proceedings and grubby environment, the spatial arrangement of the image brings to mind a theatre balcony packed with eager punters ready to consume their money’s worth of entertainment.
—Naomi Fry, The New Yorker, 22 Feb. 2025
Unbrushed hair and slightly grubby sweatshirt?
—Claire Cohen, Vogue, 9 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for grubby
Recent Examples of Synonyms for grubby
Adjective
-
Away from a filthy Superdome and Convention Center where they had been holed up for days.—
Suzette Hackney,
USA Today,
5 Sep. 2025
-
Alexander pulled out a baby-blue melodica to lay down a filthy ska rhythm for his band.—
Hannah Edgar,
Chicago Tribune,
1 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
Natural gas fulfills much of this need, while coal is dirtier, expensive, and increasingly irrelevant for electricity production.—
Ken Silverstein,
Forbes.com,
2 Sep. 2025
-
Although the space station is without dirt and mud, astronauts’ clothes get dirty from sweat during their daily exercise.—
Mrigakshi Dixit,
Interesting Engineering,
2 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
Use the floor brush for stairs, the crevice tool for windowsills and couch cushions, and the dusting brush for dusty surfaces.—
Isabel Garcia,
PEOPLE,
5 Sep. 2025
-
Poor Ventilation Along with the increase in moisture and humidity, another leading cause for a dusty bathroom is poor ventilation.—
Ashlyn Needham,
Southern Living,
5 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
But that cheaper investment has largely been eviscerated, according to a cadre of sports bankers CNBC interviewed.—
Michael Ozanian,
CNBC,
4 Sep. 2025
-
Travelers can snag cheap flights to explore New York in September and October.—
Kathleen Wong,
USA Today,
4 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
Dip a microfiber cloth in the solution and saturate the stained area.—
Mary Marlowe Leverette,
Southern Living,
6 Sep. 2025
-
Hold the stained fabric taut and let the water flow from the back of the shirt to the front, allowing the water to push the stain away from the fabric rather than through it.—
Jolie Kerr,
Better Homes & Gardens,
4 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
Shootouts are lame in comparison.—
Chris Branch,
New York Times,
19 Aug. 2025
-
On the other hand, Powell probably has little incentive to commit firmly given high lame-duck status and the fact that more employment and inflation numbers will hit before the September meeting.—
Michael Santoli,
CNBC,
18 Aug. 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
-
Fried wasn’t the only reason the Yankees lost on Sunday, as the Bombers’ bats were pitiful against Jason Alexander.—
Gary Phillips,
New York Daily News,
10 Aug. 2025
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This negative sentiment was also felt on both sides of the Atlantic, given their pitiful plummet in popularity.—
Brie Stimson , Stephanie Nolasco,
FOXNews.com,
25 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Grubby.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/grubby. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.
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