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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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of grungy
My father was also sullen from the vodka, and after grumbling some would fall asleep on his grungy sleeper berth.
—
Literary Hub, 23 Jan. 2026
Stroheim, who shot on location, delivers a grungy and grubby story, his fanatical eye for grim detail producing a portrait of ordinary misery that assumes symbolic force.
—Richard Brody, New Yorker, 17 Jan. 2026
The rest of her glam was pretty signature—grungy smoky eyes and a glossed nude lip, with a nude manicure to let her engagement ring take center stage.
—Anna Cafolla, Vogue, 4 Jan. 2026
The track takes after some of her forebearers, specifically Hole’s Courtney Love and the harsh, grungy guitars from Live Through This.
—Craig Jenkins, Vulture, 2 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for grungy
Literary Hub, 23 Jan. 2026
Stroheim, who shot on location, delivers a grungy and grubby story, his fanatical eye for grim detail producing a portrait of ordinary misery that assumes symbolic force.
—Richard Brody, New Yorker, 17 Jan. 2026
The rest of her glam was pretty signature—grungy smoky eyes and a glossed nude lip, with a nude manicure to let her engagement ring take center stage.
—Anna Cafolla, Vogue, 4 Jan. 2026
The track takes after some of her forebearers, specifically Hole’s Courtney Love and the harsh, grungy guitars from Live Through This.
—Craig Jenkins, Vulture, 2 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for grungy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for grungy
Adjective
-
So open to the skies, and filthy.—
Lesley Stahl,
CBS News,
16 Feb. 2026
-
This neighborhood, peopled almost entirely by the people who claim to have been driven from Poland and Russia, is the eyesore of New York and perhaps the filthiest place on the western continent.—
Alexandra Schwartz,
New Yorker,
9 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Through the window that day, Smith-Dean saw a potential gold mine for the community, where many who passed by on Spring Avenue saw only a dilapidated structure.—
Dallas Morning News,
Dallas Morning News,
11 Feb. 2026
-
Crows roost on its dilapidated shingles and fly off simultaneously, like a choreographed murder.—
Ben Travers,
IndieWire,
8 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
This one, in a dusty olive green, has a high pile texture and subtle geometric design for the right amount of visual interest.—
Kate McGregor,
Architectural Digest,
13 Feb. 2026
-
Mattresses and questionably clean bedding were dredged up, dusty couches cleared of detritus.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
13 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
The department issued heavy fines and ultimately shuttered a neglected building in Denver’s uptown neighborhood last year that was owned by CBZ Management.—
Sam Tabachnik,
Denver Post,
8 Jan. 2026
-
The narrative highlights the growing, unseen populations of lonely and neglected individuals, shedding light on a vital but often ignored aspect of public care.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
9 Dec. 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
-
Tan explained that there are still things people can do to protect themselves from the harms of dirty air.—
Dr. Ishani D. Premaratne,
ABC News,
17 Feb. 2026
-
Synthetic fibers like polyester can leave tiny scratches on the surface, and dirty cloths can cause micro scratches.—
Karen Brewer Grossman,
Southern Living,
17 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Elsewhere in the photoshoot, Pattinson poses with a cigarette in his mouth, pants unbuttoned and in a stained shirt in a black-and-white photo.—
Rachel Burchfield,
InStyle,
17 Feb. 2026
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Gently massage only the stained area.—
Olivia McIntosh,
Martha Stewart,
15 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
In hues from muddy browns to iridescent purples, grackles seek safety in numbers, for the most part, but perhaps warmth and socializing as well.—
Michael Barnes,
Austin American Statesman,
18 Feb. 2026
-
This has put Foxboro in a muddy situation.—
Lance Reynolds,
Boston Herald,
18 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Grungy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/grungy. Accessed 21 Feb. 2026.
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