grungy

adjective

ˈgrən-jē How to pronounce grungy (audio)
Definition of grungynext
1
as in filthy
not clean after playing outside, the kids came in grungy and in need of a good bath

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 grungy Wide-leg black jeans can sometimes skew either too grungy or too formal. — India Roby, Glamour, 8 June 2026 More toward the rowdy end are the closet-sized bars of Shinjuku’s Golden Gai, a warren of grungy alleys home to snug drinking holes with obscure themes and idiosyncratic bartender-owners. — Jessica Kozuka, Travel + Leisure, 1 June 2026 In The Maids, for instance, Williams has applied a dewy contemporary sheen to Genet’s grungy French cruelty. — Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 27 May 2026 Chu loves hyperrealism or using an ombré effect to mimic dirt, giving it a grungy feel. — Diana Tsui, Footwear News, 15 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for grungy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for grungy
  1. filthy
  2. dilapidated
  3. dusty
  4. neglected
  5. blackened
  6. dirty
  7. stained
  8. muddy
Adjective
  • Dozens of people had spent almost a year living outside, filthy and exhausted, and for what?
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 10 July 2026
  • From shabby apartments to art experiments to filthy needles—with echoes of Patti Smith and Rebecca Makkai—Adler conjures an era of sorrow borne by too many, too young.
    — Hamilton Cain, Time, 7 July 2026
Definition of filthy
Adjective
  • Its current chapter as a travel venue is helmed by the Greene family, who bought the property in 2000 and began to restore it from a dilapidated state.
    — Lydia Mansel, Travel + Leisure, 12 July 2026
  • Back at the dilapidated family home, Edgar grows even surlier, lashing into gentle-natured Joe for being an under-achiever compared to his brother and causing Thya to become apprehensive about Ed’s proximity to sharp objects.
    — David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 8 July 2026
Definition of dilapidated
Adjective
  • Sedum nussbaumerianum The Coppertone Stonecrop gets its name from the dusty copper color its leaves turn when exposed to sunlight.
    — Sophia Beams, Better Homes & Gardens, 15 July 2026
  • The dry, dusty air can also help limit some storm development by creating a more stable atmosphere.
    — Brandi D. Addison, USA Today, 14 July 2026
Definition of dusty
Adjective
  • Investors and analysts are increasingly looking to other parts of the market, both to find neglected sources of value and to start assuming a defensive posture against a possible downturn.
    — Tobias Burns, CNBC, 16 July 2026
  • Changing their environment is more reliable and more neglected.
    — Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic, Forbes.com, 19 June 2026
Definition of neglected
Adjective
  • The land, unfenced, abuts a bald blackened hillside that must be public land.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 28 Aug. 2025
Definition of blackened
Adjective
  • Red flag, a groomer who won’t show you the van, or a van that’s visibly dirty or cluttered.
    — Ryan Brennan, Kansas City Star, 13 July 2026
  • Bloomfield says they might get shipped overseas to places where recycling is done in unsafe and dirty conditions.
    — Camila Domonoske, NPR, 13 July 2026
Definition of dirty
Adjective
  • Everything from the casting (male dancers, internet faves, and very few actual models) to the scenery (a 191-year-old venue with plenty of stained glass) to the ambiance (candlelit, with lots of bows and florals) embodied the brand's quintessential mix of romance, community, and nostalgia.
    — Madeline Hirsch, InStyle, 26 June 2026
  • Spread the mixture on the stained area; leave it for 15 minutes before wiping it away with a microfiber cloth.
    — Mary Marlowe Leverette, The Spruce, 19 June 2026
Definition of stained
Adjective
  • With Jagger’s vocals often buried deep in the muddy and murky mix, the album initially sounds like a druggy demo.
    — Marc Ballon, Los Angeles Times, 10 July 2026
  • The rains breached reservoirs, including the dramatic collapse of part of a dam in Hengzhou that inundated a wide area with fast-flowing muddy water.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 10 July 2026
Definition of muddy

Browse Nearby Words

grumpy
grungy
grunt
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Cite this Entry

“Grungy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/grungy. Accessed 18 Jul. 2026.

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