GUNKY Synonyms: 43 Similar and Opposite Words

gunky

adjective

as in grimy

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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 gunky America was built on a thick, gunky crude that comes from other countries including Canada, Saudi Arabia and Central and South American nations. — Ella Nilsen, CNN Money, 9 Mar. 2026 But the gunky fascinations of the text remain intact. — Richard Lawson, HollywoodReporter, 3 Sep. 2019

Recent Examples of Synonyms for gunky

Adjective

The concept survived the hedonistic ’80s, the grimy ’90s, and the low-rise aughts only to reemerge in the social media age with a new name and a more sinister purpose.

— Hillary Busis, Vanity Fair, 14 July 2026
Clean gas stovetop grates to prevent grease and build-up that can smell, burn, and look grimy over time.

— Daley Quinn, Southern Living, 12 July 2026

Definition of grimy

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

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

Putting diseased plant material in your compost pile and using unclean or dull pruning tools also increases the risk of transmitting issues from plant to plant.

— Madeline Buiano, Martha Stewart, 5 July 2026
The floor sink beneath the 3-comp sink was draining slowly and observed unclean.

— Veronica Fernandez-Alvarado July 3, Sacbee.com, 3 July 2026

Definition of unclean

Adjective

The earliest of the Roman Romance novels dates from the first century CE, just as the first emperor Augustus ended the Republic once and for all and gathered the whole Roman empire into his own grubby little hands.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 30 June 2026
The mighty American sub surfaces in England only in grubby Subway franchises in tourist locations.

— Dominic Green, The Washington Examiner, 20 Mar. 2026

Definition of grubby

Adjective

Wise’s wistful songwriting is retained, but completely missing is his intentionally impure palette.

— Billie Bugara, Pitchfork, 7 Mar. 2026
Kanto practitioners believe that women cannot participate because, according to Japan's Shinto religion, women's blood from menstruation and childbirth is considered impure for the purpose of religious rituals.

— Anthony Kuhn, NPR, 3 Nov. 2025

Definition of impure

Adjective

Let the cleaner sit for 15 minutes and blot the excess, or cover it with a damp cloth and leave it for up to 24 hours for heavily soiled or old, set-in spots.

— Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 26 June 2026
Quick wash is best for lightly worn clothes, not heavily soiled or stained items.

— Marisa Suzanne Martin, The Spruce, 29 May 2026

Definition of soiled

Adjective

But the real key to the magic is that frenetic tone — the dirty, grungy, previously unheard sludge created when guitarist/Ray’s brother Dave Davies slashed his amp’s speaker with a razor.

— Debby Wolfinsohn, Entertainment Weekly, 7 July 2026
Crystal Rose’s band were still setting up their gear at the East Room, a grungy venue next door to an occult shop in East Nashville, when a small group of women gathered near the front of the stage.

— Joseph Hudak, Rolling Stone, 2 July 2026

Definition of grungy

Browse Nearby Words

gunk

gunky

gunman

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“Gunky.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gunky. Accessed 21 Jul. 2026.

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Synonyms of gunky

adjective

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