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
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
The safety curtain that greets audiences filing in for the third Broadway revival of Glengarry Glen Ross depicts a set of steak knives, the infamous second prize in a contest for the highest sales figures among colleagues at a scuzzy Chicago real estate office.
—David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 3 Sep. 2019
See All Example Sentences for scuzzy
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
The safety curtain that greets audiences filing in for the third Broadway revival of Glengarry Glen Ross depicts a set of steak knives, the infamous second prize in a contest for the highest sales figures among colleagues at a scuzzy Chicago real estate office.
—David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 3 Sep. 2019
See All Example Sentences for scuzzy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for scuzzy
Adjective
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Use the floor brush for stairs, the crevice tool for windowsills and couch cushions, and the dusting brush for dusty surfaces.—
Isabel Garcia,
PEOPLE,
5 Sep. 2025
-
Poor Ventilation Along with the increase in moisture and humidity, another leading cause for a dusty bathroom is poor ventilation.—
Ashlyn Needham,
Southern Living,
5 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
Away from a filthy Superdome and Convention Center where they had been holed up for days.—
Suzette Hackney,
USA Today,
5 Sep. 2025
-
Alexander pulled out a baby-blue melodica to lay down a filthy ska rhythm for his band.—
Hannah Edgar,
Chicago Tribune,
1 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
Dip a microfiber cloth into the water and then gently scrub away any greasy spots on your cabinets.—
Ashlyn Needham,
Southern Living,
6 Sep. 2025
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And because Rhode is all about keeping skin health front of mind, the product ensures lasting hydration that never enters greasy territory.—
Stacia Datskovska,
Footwear News,
5 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
Brunch might mean a humus bowl layered with lamb and pickled onion, or a shakshuka made with black lime tomato stew.—
Rai Mincey,
Forbes.com,
8 Sep. 2025
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The ensemble featured a visible black underwire and corset boning at the bust and torso, while the sheer black fabric created an illusion of draping around her bust and the rest of her body.—
Catherine Santino,
PEOPLE,
8 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
Natural gas fulfills much of this need, while coal is dirtier, expensive, and increasingly irrelevant for electricity production.—
Ken Silverstein,
Forbes.com,
2 Sep. 2025
-
Although the space station is without dirt and mud, astronauts’ clothes get dirty from sweat during their daily exercise.—
Mrigakshi Dixit,
Interesting Engineering,
2 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
The land, unfenced, abuts a bald blackened hillside that must be public land.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
28 Aug. 2025
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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
Adjective
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Based on May Cobb's novel of the same name, the debut season premiered last month and captured the zeitgeist for its sleazy, twisty fun, eliciting a ton of buzz online — none the more so than for Akerman's questionable wig.—
EW.com,
EW.com,
23 Aug. 2025
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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
Adjective
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Cillian Murphy plays the titular Steve, a beloved teacher at a controversial school that uses public funds to house violent and antisocial boys in a shabby old mansion.—
Richard Lawson,
IndieWire,
5 Sep. 2025
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The best is when Lee finds Wendell in the shabby living quarters above the bookstore.—
Alan Sepinwall,
Rolling Stone,
4 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Scuzzy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/scuzzy. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.
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