1
as in filthy
not clean
after playing outside, the kids came in grungy and in need of a good bath
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in dilapidated
showing signs of advanced wear and tear and neglect
even though this grungy sweatshirt is falling apart, it's still my favorite
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of grungy
The holes have cotton whiskers that add to the grungy look.
—
Bestreviews, Mercury News, 22 Sep. 2025
The new crime comedy Caught Stealing unfolds in the year 1998, traveling across a distinctly grungy New York City—all dingy subway platforms and drab Chinatown apartments.
—David Sims, The Atlantic, 29 Aug. 2025
The name was a play on the popular Lollapalooza music festival and perfectly captured the grungy, alternative, and chaotic culture of the ECW brand.
—Andrew Ravens, MSNBC Newsweek, 18 Aug. 2025
The metal eyelet details add a grungy touch, while the front of the foot features a slight platform, and all of this balances atop a five-inch heel.
—Karla Rodriguez, Footwear News, 3 Sep. 2019
See All Example Sentences for grungy
Bestreviews, Mercury News, 22 Sep. 2025
The new crime comedy Caught Stealing unfolds in the year 1998, traveling across a distinctly grungy New York City—all dingy subway platforms and drab Chinatown apartments.
—David Sims, The Atlantic, 29 Aug. 2025
The name was a play on the popular Lollapalooza music festival and perfectly captured the grungy, alternative, and chaotic culture of the ECW brand.
—Andrew Ravens, MSNBC Newsweek, 18 Aug. 2025
The metal eyelet details add a grungy touch, while the front of the foot features a slight platform, and all of this balances atop a five-inch heel.
—Karla Rodriguez, Footwear News, 3 Sep. 2019
See All Example Sentences for grungy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for grungy
Adjective
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The couple slept on a filthy mattress on the floor with their 4-year-old son, Stephano.—
Daniel Gonzalez,
AZCentral.com,
6 Nov. 2025
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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
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Earlier this year, Saiz Bilbao arrived at a dilapidated building still under construction, its entrance via a seemingly endless stretch of stairs that led to a window-less hostel.—
Georgiana Ralphs,
CNN Money,
31 Oct. 2025
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Now, charred and dilapidated buildings dot the small city center.—
NPR,
NPR,
25 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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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
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Workers are startled when a jar tumbles out of a dusty box and rolls onto the ground.—
Aramide Tinubu,
Variety,
6 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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Few sights are as heart-wrenching as a neglected animal in need.—
Allison Moses,
USA Today,
28 Oct. 2025
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Those plans were later abandoned during the pandemic and the house joined Denver’s neglected and derelict building list in 2024.—
Justin Wingerter,
Denver Post,
8 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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The land, unfenced, abuts a bald blackened hillside that must be public land.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
28 Aug. 2025
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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The boots have deep, high-traction treads that grip muddy ground, mixed terrain, and even ice.—
Sian Babish,
PEOPLE,
8 Nov. 2025
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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
Cite this Entry
“Grungy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/grungy. Accessed 13 Nov. 2025.
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