requiring exceptional skill or caution in performance or handling
given the high-ranking people involved, it will be a nasty job to hammer out a compromise
How does the adjective nasty differ from other similar words?
Some common synonyms of nasty are dirty, filthy, foul, and squalid. While all these words mean "conspicuously unclean or impure," nasty applies to what is actually foul or is repugnant to one expecting freshness, cleanliness, or sweetness; in practice, however, nasty is often weakened to the point of being no more than a synonym of unpleasant or disagreeable. When used figuratively, nasty implies a peculiarly offensive unpleasantness.
it's a nasty job to clean up after a sick cat
had a nasty fall
his answer gave her a nasty shock
a stand-up comedian known for nasty humor
When is dirty a more appropriate choice than nasty?
The words dirty and nasty are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, dirty emphasizes the presence of dirt more than an emotional reaction to it or, figuratively, stresses meanness or despicableness.
a dirty littered street
don't ask me to do your dirty work
When could filthy be used to replace nasty?
Although the words filthy and nasty have much in common, filthy carries a strong suggestion of offensiveness and typically of gradually accumulated dirt that begrimes and besmears. Figuratively, it can also describe disgusting obscenity.
a stained greasy floor, utterly filthy
filthy street language
When would foul be a good substitute for nasty?
While in some cases nearly identical to nasty, foul implies extreme offensiveness and an accumulation of what is rotten or stinking; it can also describe, for example, loathsome behavior.
a foul-smelling open sewer
a foul story of lust and greed
When might squalid be a better fit than nasty?
In some situations, the words squalid and nasty are roughly equivalent. However, squalid adds to the idea of dirtiness and filth that of slovenly neglect. Distinctively, its figurative use implies sordidness as well as baseness and dirtiness.
squalid slums
engaged in a series of squalid affairs
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of nastyThe antioxidants help cells revitalize, and the anti-inflammatory properties can help relieve the nasty side effects of cold and touches of flu in the body.—
Bestreviews,
Chicago Tribune,
4 Sep. 2026 The Federal Reserve’s tough love — double-digit interest rates — cured nasty inflation but at a serious economic cost.—
Jonathan Lansner,
Oc Register,
4 Sep. 2026 Snatch is far more clever than many similar ensemble capers, with a real nasty edge that remains comedic rather than nihilistic.—
Declan Gallagher,
Entertainment Weekly,
3 Sep. 2026 Unglazed Ceramic And Stoneware A beautiful stoneware or ceramic dish can leave nasty scratches on your stovetop’s surface.—
Karen Brewer Grossman,
Southern Living,
31 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for nasty
About 15 feet away, there was an oversized rolling laundry bin where players would walk around reporters to drop off their dirty clothes.
—
Candace Buckner,
New York Times,
14 Sep. 2026
In them, again and again, peering over the shoulders of the dirty loft buildings and overscale Cadillac Eldorados, the twin towers of the World Trade Center appear.
But the core four aren’t the only transplants from Woodsboro, as Ghostface soon rears its ugly head, directly targeting them and whomever else is caught up in their orbit.
—
Michael Lee Simpson,
Entertainment Weekly,
5 Sep. 2026
Especially if ugly seasons like last year pile up and the problem continues to snowball.
For the film, Hossain said that Badhon called in her real doctor to inject her during a scene where her character undergoes painful platelet-rich plasma injections.
—
Ritesh Mehta,
IndieWire,
5 Sep. 2026
And meager pay raises have made rising prices more painful for many.
Last year, after signing a $132 million contract extension with the Pittsburgh Steelers following a trade, he was docked another $26,000 for fighting and making an obscene gesture.
—
Jonathan Jones,
New York Times,
8 Sep. 2026
There was a dog’s leg that had been sewn on near a man’s crotch in a way that seemed like an obscene visual pun.
The oversight hearing underscored Patel’s turbulent tenure, from shouting matches with lawmakers and blended leisure travel to allegations of excessive drinking that spurred calls for his removal and a massive defamation suit.
—
Eric Tucker,
Los Angeles Times,
15 Sep. 2026
The two lawsuits come after a turbulent week for Hoskins, a Republican who became a key player in a dizzying series of legal battles and court decisions over the state’s congressional map.
Self-interrogation, of course, is often unpleasant and is not a prescription that is likely to sell many books.
—
Meghan O’Gieblyn,
New Yorker,
14 Sep. 2026
There was a lot of work on the medical cases to make the investigations complex and realistic, but there was also an entry point built around a strong, funny, unpleasant character, completely at odds with her return to her roots.
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