as in dirty
arousing or deserving of one's loathing and disgust
the jury was disgusted by the scummy behavior of the defendant in the courtroom
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Recent Examples of scummy
Clean Glass Shower Doors Melt about half a cup of coconut oil and mix in a few drops of lemon juice to create a solution that will go to work on scummy glass shower doors and walls.
—
Patricia Shannon, Better Homes & Gardens, 4 Mar. 2026
Patricia Shannon, Better Homes & Gardens, 4 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for scummy
Adjective
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Investigators described a foul-smelling place with bags and bottles of fetuses and jars of body parts, along with bloodstained furniture and dirty medical instruments.—
Greg Norman-Diamond,
FOXNews.com,
24 Mar. 2026
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Flaky salmon, soft and creamy potatoes, and rosy radishes roast on the same baking sheet for a company-worthy dinner that won’t fill the sink with dirty dishes.—
Jesse Szewczyk,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
23 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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This struck me as heartbreakingly lame and, therefore, as a moment of vital consequence.—
Amanda Peet,
New Yorker,
21 Mar. 2026
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Duke fires the shot that kills the king Dying Tommy insists Duke finish him off with the bullet like a lame horse.—
Bryan Alexander,
USA Today,
20 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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The Marlins under this owner have no reasonable way out of this rut of building on the cheap toward a future that never gets here.—
Greg Cote
Updated March 27,
Miami Herald,
28 Mar. 2026
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Don't forget about the newer, more compact and much cheaper Lego Technic SLS set, only $60, also 'launches' with some clever Technic moving parts.—
Samantha Mathewson,
Space.com,
27 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Given that California ranks a pitiful 49th in the nation in the condition, safety and costs of roads and bridges, according to the Reason Foundation’s 2025 Annual Highway Report, taxpayers’ transportation dollars would likely be better spent elsewhere.—
Adam Summers,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
20 Mar. 2026
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The rear cargo space is pitiful for a vehicle of this size, price, and classification.—
Jesus R. Garcia,
Houston Chronicle,
15 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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In the especially nasty autumn of 1954, women in June Cleaver dresses and gas masks protested outside the Pasadena Civic Auditorium.—
Patt Morrison,
Los Angeles Times,
26 Mar. 2026
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The show excels at casting a spell through odd details, nasty red herrings, disturbing clues.—
Angie Han,
HollywoodReporter,
26 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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The amount of disrespect shown the Broncos is disgusting.—
Troy Renck,
Denver Post,
27 Mar. 2026
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Building Alligator Alcatraz and being proud of treating people inhumanely while at the same time stealing money for his charity is disgusting.—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
25 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Working with his regular cinematographer Oleg Mutu, Loznitsa gives this prison — and authoritarianism itself — a sickly luster without ever denying its wretched stench.—
Tim Grierson,
Los Angeles Times,
26 Mar. 2026
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Now, Shinia is being given the business by Miranda, who has been put in a truly wretched position.—
Kathleen Walsh,
Vulture,
13 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Why would the Sun Sentinel print opinions clearly based on nothing but hateful personal feelings?—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
26 Mar. 2026
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In it, Theroux meets a family at the heart of the Westboro Baptist Church – a virulently homophobic group known for its hateful protests.—
Irenie Forshaw,
TheWeek,
25 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Scummy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/scummy. Accessed 31 Mar. 2026.
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