1
as in dirty
arousing or deserving of one's loathing and disgust
fortunately, the story's nasty characters are balanced by some truly good people
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in ugly
causing intense displeasure, disgust, or resentment
a nasty horror movie that was so violent that I could hardly watch the opening scenes
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3
as in painful
causing or feeling bodily pain
a nasty cut on my lip
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4
as in obscene
depicting or referring to sexual matters in a way that is unacceptable in polite society
nasty magazines that are not sold to minors
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5
as in malicious
having or showing a desire to cause someone pain or suffering for the sheer enjoyment of it
nasty comments that trolls left on the website
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6
as in turbulent
marked by wet and windy conditions
bring your raincoat, as the weather's supposed to be nasty
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7
as in filthy
not clean
it's incredibly nasty inside that garbage bin, so stay away from there
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8
as in unpleasant
not giving pleasure to the mind or senses
the smell of those old leftovers is downright nasty
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9
as in unsettling
causing worry or anxiety
she had the nasty sense that she'd made a mistake somewhere
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10
as in foul
not being in accordance with the rules or standards of what is fair in sport
a nasty hit got the hockey player suspended
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11
as in vile
not following or in accordance with standards of honor and decency
that was a nasty trick to play on people who were so trusting
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12
as in difficult
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
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of nasty
Pairing a high-octane fastball with a nasty mix of off-speed pitches, the 25-year-old righty is living up to his top-25 prospect hype.
—
Dan Hayes, New York Times, 9 May 2026
In the last two weeks, five friends have come down with either a pesty cold or nasty flu bug.
—Cathy Thomas, Oc Register, 4 May 2026
During the Braves’ recent trip to Philadelphia, Kyle Farmer came down with a nasty illness possibly brought on by norovirus.
—Chad Bishop, AJC.com, 1 May 2026
Mfume has not joined in the negative attack game, but Conway, like other failing candidates, has decided his only political pathway is simply to run a nasty and divisive campaign.
—Bobby Zirkin, Baltimore Sun, 30 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for nasty
Dan Hayes, New York Times, 9 May 2026
In the last two weeks, five friends have come down with either a pesty cold or nasty flu bug.
—Cathy Thomas, Oc Register, 4 May 2026
During the Braves’ recent trip to Philadelphia, Kyle Farmer came down with a nasty illness possibly brought on by norovirus.
—Chad Bishop, AJC.com, 1 May 2026
Mfume has not joined in the negative attack game, but Conway, like other failing candidates, has decided his only political pathway is simply to run a nasty and divisive campaign.
—Bobby Zirkin, Baltimore Sun, 30 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for nasty
Recent Examples of Synonyms for nasty
Adjective
-
How To Properly Load A Dishwasher To properly load a dishwasher for maximum cleaning power, place dishes in the dishwasher with the dirty side facing the jets, with taller items around the outside.—
Karen Brewer Grossman,
Southern Living,
19 May 2026
-
Use the packing cubes to separate clean and dirty clothes for the duration of your cruise.—
Kelsey Glennon,
Travel + Leisure,
18 May 2026
Adjective
-
Last year, the two teams met in London in an ugly 13-11 Denver win.—
Antwan Staley,
New York Daily News,
15 May 2026
-
With respect to humor’s inherent subjectivity, the appallingly ugly aesthetics of the AI overwhelm any possible comedic sensibility on display.—
Vikram Murthi,
IndieWire,
15 May 2026
Adjective
-
Quickly, and out of nowhere, the moment went from fun to incredibly painful for Golla.—
Mark Harris OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
17 May 2026
-
Regenvanu also makes clear that Vanuatu will not withdraw its UN resolution, despite pressure and despite painful compromises in the text.—
Ingmar Rentzhog,
Forbes.com,
17 May 2026
Adjective
-
If this obscene gerrymander survives, the next one will purge what little remains of Democratic representation in the Legislature, where the GOP holds massive supermajorities far beyond its share of the electorate.—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
11 May 2026
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He was also given a third charge involving obscene material and minors, according to jail records.—
Devoun Cetoute,
Miami Herald,
9 May 2026
Adjective
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The Celeste team argues that large, heavy drones pose a serious cybersecurity risk, as they could be hijacked and used for harm by malicious hackers.—
Chris Young,
Interesting Engineering,
14 May 2026
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That’s not necessarily malicious.—
Amber Harding OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
14 May 2026
Adjective
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Inside, another naked woman on a Jet Ski does circles in a turbulent body of water.—
Sebastian Smee,
The Atlantic,
16 May 2026
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The shift has direct market implications, Dalio said, as investors must navigate a turbulent period where currency values face risk and uncertainty demands liquidity and diversification including gold.—
David Westin,
Fortune,
16 May 2026
Adjective
-
Inside, filthy soldiers press up against the wood.—
Eliana Dockterman,
Time,
12 May 2026
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Baker said while Fike's immediate surroundings were filthy, a brand-new hospital bed, urinal and wheelchair were available at the home.—
Madeline Bartos,
CBS News,
7 May 2026
Adjective
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And since each state tax operates under its own often arcane rules, those costs can come as an unpleasant surprise.—
Kelly Phillips Erb,
Forbes.com,
16 May 2026
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His rhetoric is unpleasant and extreme enough that he could not get confirmed to a university board in Florida.—
Helen Lewis,
The Atlantic,
14 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Nasty.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/nasty. Accessed 21 May. 2026.
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