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
Back in New York, following Marty’s unimaginable defeat in London, Abel Ferrara appears as a scuzzy street-level gangster who entrusts Marty and his taxi-driving best friend Wally (Tyler Okonma) with his near feral dog.
—
Peter Debruge,
Variety,
1 Dec. 2025
Knight convincingly takes us back to the grimy, scuzzy streets of 1880s East London for a showdown in and out of the boxing ring.
—
Randy Myers,
The Mercury News,
20 Feb. 2025
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 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
Peter Debruge,
Variety,
1 Dec. 2025
Knight convincingly takes us back to the grimy, scuzzy streets of 1880s East London for a showdown in and out of the boxing ring.
—
Randy Myers,
The Mercury News,
20 Feb. 2025
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 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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Let’s solve this Wordle and hit the not-so-dusty road!
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So if your dusty old printer is starting to kick the can, consider the reliable HP Smart Tank 5101.
Adjective
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Margera tried to soothe the pain by submerging his fresh brand in a tub of filthy farm water, which resulted in a life-threatening staph infection that landed him in the hospital.
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Outside the Lineage warehouse Thursday morning, the smell of heavy smoke was already being replaced with that of spoiling food and filthy water.
Adjective
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Texas barbecue is my personal favorite, but that was definitely a shock, the greasy processed-ness of the food.
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Frankie Neal, the winner of the 2026 Gloucester greasy pole contest.
Adjective
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From here, there’s a plush formal living room, outfitted mostly in neutral tones, and a darker, moodier sitting room, where the black walls feature a studded pattern.
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Nike first made a limited run of 100 all-white Air Force 1 with black Roc-A-Fella branding in 1999 as promotional items.
Adjective
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Most notably, though, is its easy-to-clean material, which one flight attendant appreciates when up against dirty baggage claims and surprise spills.
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Crafted with Grey Goose vodka and Carpano Dry Vermouth, the cocktail is prepared to each guest’s preference—whether dry, dirty, extra dirty, shaken or stirred—from the restaurant’s signature martini cart.
Adjective
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The land, unfenced, abuts a bald blackened hillside that must be public land.
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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.
Adjective
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Jason Maddy disappears into multiple roles including the sleazy diner owner, the jolly Napa depot manager who pre-reads everyone’s mail and the wise doctor who treats Tony after a car accident.
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Ian Fleming, who set some of From Russia with Love's most memorable scenes in this area, delighted in its 'sleazy romance'.
Adjective
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But for cars that weighed around 3,100 pounds, those figures aren’t too shabby in terms of real-world performance.
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The result is a compassionate, elegant, unsettling book about some extremely shabby people.
Cite this Entry
“Scuzzy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/scuzzy. Accessed 2 Jul. 2026.
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