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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Just think about where your luggage has been; it gets hauled through airports, goes for a ride on a conveyor belt, rolls across dusty parking lots, is stashed into overhead bins, and is often handled by multiple people with no guarantee of clean hands.—
Mary Cornetta,
Better Homes & Gardens,
29 June 2025
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He’s worn them outside on dusty furniture, has cat fur all over them ...—
Brian Anthony Hernandez,
People.com,
28 June 2025
Adjective
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The room was filthy, prescription bottles around the room, one bed with no sheets.—
Howie Carr,
Boston Herald,
27 June 2025
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Photograph: Chris Null As anyone who’s ever stuck a cotton swab in there knows, your ear canal is a filthy, disgusting place.—
Christopher Null,
Wired News,
22 June 2025
Adjective
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The serum for greasy skin has salicylic acid; for pigmentation has niacinamide; for first signs of aging has bakuchiol, and for advanced signs of aging has retinol, at 0.3 percent.—
Jennifer Weil,
Footwear News,
1 July 2025
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The wrenches are made of S2 grade steel with a grippy rubber coating meant to provide purchase for greasy hands.—
Gabriel Morgan,
Better Homes & Gardens,
30 June 2025
Adjective
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And, in addition to versatile black or white, the range now includes 12 total color options, including vibrant red, blue, and hot pink.—
Alesandra Dubin,
Travel + Leisure,
30 June 2025
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Leavitt held up the note to reporters, which appeared to have been written by Trump using his signature black Sharpie.—
David Brennan,
ABC News,
30 June 2025
Adjective
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Environmentalists and labor rights activists have complained that China's graphite mining and production is dirty and dangerous.—
Rick Barrett,
jsonline.com,
7 July 2025
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Employees get their hands dirty in the intro course by learning how to prompt, then move to more advanced courses on building custom GPTs and agents.—
Melissa Daimler,
Forbes.com,
7 July 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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As a longtime money manager for professional athletes, and a veteran of the sleazy business of recruiting big time college stars as his future clients, Blazer knew the inner truths of the corrupt and corrupting world of amateur sports.—
Guy Lawson,
Rolling Stone,
22 June 2025
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The play recounts the landmark moment in 1954 when CBS News legend Edward R. Murrow challenged the sleazy smear tactics of Sen. Joseph McCarthy at the height of the anti-Communist scare.—
William Earl,
Variety,
8 June 2025
Adjective
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Their physical features can be shabby to the point of scandal: mad spacing, pagination mixups, microscopic type.—
Thomas Mallon,
New Yorker,
30 June 2025
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The accommodations could have formerly been described as shabby chic or Spartan, but Peregrine is intent on changing that impression--upgrading the aesthetic appeal and functionality of its 345 guest rooms.—
David Weiss,
Forbes.com,
27 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Scuzzy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/scuzzy. Accessed 10 Jul. 2025.
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