as in dusty
severely lacking in cleanliness
My friend thinks that scuzzy dive bar has "character," but the smell alone is enough to keep me far away from that place.
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Recent Examples of scuzzy
Gorgeously textured and frequently very funny—Griffin’s wisecracking younger brother, Oren, is a scene-stealer—the book’s particular portrait of late-20th-century, upper-middle-class adolescence takes a generously wide angle, reveling in all the heady, scuzzy, confusing bits of coming of age.
—
Vogue, 26 Dec. 2024
The premise of the first movie, which treated Arthur as a scuzzy sociopath out of a Scorsese fever dream, is that unlike the dark-side characters in comic-book movies, Arthur really was just a disturbed individual.
—Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 4 Sep. 2024
That context may help explain why Big Tech products can sometimes feel frustrating, such as unhelpful Google search results or scuzzy Instagram accounts.
—Shira Ovide, Washington Post, 26 July 2024
The prior Deadpool films were scuzzy and cobbled together, even as the budget grew; the cameos from other Marvel characters felt half-hearted and perfunctory, inclusions for Deadpool to roll his eyes at, not for fans to cheer over.
—David Sims, The Atlantic, 23 July 2024
See All Example Sentences for scuzzy
Vogue, 26 Dec. 2024
The premise of the first movie, which treated Arthur as a scuzzy sociopath out of a Scorsese fever dream, is that unlike the dark-side characters in comic-book movies, Arthur really was just a disturbed individual.
—Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 4 Sep. 2024
That context may help explain why Big Tech products can sometimes feel frustrating, such as unhelpful Google search results or scuzzy Instagram accounts.
—Shira Ovide, Washington Post, 26 July 2024
The prior Deadpool films were scuzzy and cobbled together, even as the budget grew; the cameos from other Marvel characters felt half-hearted and perfunctory, inclusions for Deadpool to roll his eyes at, not for fans to cheer over.
—David Sims, The Atlantic, 23 July 2024
See All Example Sentences for scuzzy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for scuzzy
Adjective
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The Creed of Violence is hitting the dusty trail once again, with a new feature adaptation of the 2009 Boston Teran novel in the works.—
Aaron Couch,
HollywoodReporter,
20 Aug. 2025
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Further, steer clear of dusty bottles stored on hot shelves, as heat and light are wine’s worst enemies.—
Jillian Dara,
Forbes.com,
20 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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One of the canines was wrapped in a spring protruding from a broken, threadbare couch, and yelping for help when cops arrived at the filthy apartment in the Belmont section of the Bronx on Aug. 4, officials said.—
Thomas Tracy,
New York Daily News,
14 Aug. 2025
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An image of the inside of the bunker, released by the sheriff’s office, showed a filthy mattress in a corner, a folding chair and a fan.—
Dennis Romero,
NBC news,
26 July 2025
Adjective
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The sandwich, featuring ground meat—generally beef—suspended in a thick, sweet tomatoey sauce, has become an avatar of the horrible school lunch, a cliché that tends to go along with hairnets, greasy aprons, and other elements of canteen grotesquerie.—
Helen Rosner,
New Yorker,
17 Aug. 2025
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Then, dry the area and see if any greasy residue remains.—
Daley Quinn,
Southern Living,
14 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
Havaianas Keys flip-flop, in black, which was decked out with silver keys along the straps.—
Karla Rodriguez,
Footwear News,
5 Aug. 2025
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The all-star Back to the Beginning concert, which reportedly raised more than $190 million for charities, included Osbourne playing five songs from his solo career and four more with his original Sabbath bandmates while seated on a black throne.—
Gil Kaufman,
Billboard,
5 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
Cleaning your garbage can is dirty work, but regular scrubbing will keep odors at bay and bugs away.—
Cody Godwin,
USA Today,
24 Aug. 2025
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Democrats often play dirty and do so here in California regularly given their supermajorities, but they currently are outmatched by Trump’s backyard-brawl tactics and keep getting shivved during these street fights.—
Steven Greenhut,
Oc Register,
22 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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In its time open, fueled by fans of its blackened mahi and buttery lobster rolls, owner Mike Smith has expanded his footprint, moving into a larger stall in the popular food hall — which has allowed for a menu expansion, as well.—
Amy Drew Thompson,
Orlando Sentinel,
6 Dec. 2022
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There are no glamorous furnishings — just a French window, its blackened panes suggesting the dark of night.—
Christopher Knight,
Los Angeles Times,
26 Oct. 2022
Adjective
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Advertisement Imrie, Mirren, Ackie, Brosnan, and Kingsley work to solve a murder Courtesy of Netflix David Tennant plays a sharp, sleazy villain.—
Stephanie Zacharek,
Time,
22 Aug. 2025
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Her next stop is to see Tommy (Michael Kelly), a sleazy figure from her past who stirs up disturbing memories.—
David Rooney,
HollywoodReporter,
14 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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These average around $44 on the open market nowadays, not a huge price tag after 31 years, but not too shabby for a single very used card.—
Curtis Silver,
Forbes.com,
14 Aug. 2025
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Not too shabby for a team that traded its top three relievers and pledged its focus to the future less than two weeks ago.—
Katie Woo,
New York Times,
12 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Scuzzy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/scuzzy. Accessed 31 Aug. 2025.
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