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 nastyCunningham, meanwhile, finished with three points on just 1 of 2 shooting, but was also on the receiving end of one of the nastiest elbows this side of the Mississippi.—
Zach Dean Outkick,
FOXNews.com,
3 Aug. 2026 For a player that caught so much heat for his lack of maturity during his time with the Pittsburgh Steelers, a nasty, public contractual dispute would have thought to be well within the range of possibilities entering this offseason.—
Nick Harris,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
31 July 2026 Fouling up the comics' tragically iconic tale involving Gwen Stacy (Emma Stone) and one really nasty fall.—
Brian Truitt,
USA Today,
31 July 2026 The 5-inch gash along the side of my head, however, will leave a nasty scar.—
Todd Orr,
Outdoor Life,
30 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for nasty
But for Tran’s family, the arrest revisited a painful, complicated chapter of their lives.
—
Faith Karimi,
CNN Money,
8 Aug. 2026
Many have called for empathy and compassion for the situation, while others struggle to reconcile calls for grace with Hilton’s history of profiting from celebrities’ most painful moments.
Climate Pledge Arena prohibits abusive or obscene language and says violators may be ejected.
—
Jackson Thompson OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
30 July 2026
These stories were reprinted in Scottish and English botanical texts, and Henrietta would have known about the obscene ideas connected with the mushroom.
The company wants advanced cybersecurity models to strengthen digital defenses by helping security teams identify and fix vulnerabilities before malicious actors can exploit them.
—
Aamir Khollam,
Interesting Engineering,
7 Aug. 2026
Their job is to hack devices and patch exploits before malicious actors do.
Investment firms of ultrawealthy families showed no signs of slowing down in July despite a turbulent month for markets between a sharp correction and soaring energy prices.
—
Hayley Cuccinello,
CNBC,
6 Aug. 2026
Images of the sun’s surface that were published in a new study show turbulent, vortex-like structures in unprecedented detail.
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