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
-
Two people were killed and two others injured when two vehicles collided head-on Friday evening along a dusty, deserted stretch of road in the Antelope Valley, authorities said.—
Andrew Khouri,
Los Angeles Times,
10 May 2026
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From rich red ‘Valentine’ to nearly orange ‘Sungold’ and the dusty plum of ‘Purple Bumble Bee,’ cherry tomatoes add instant color to a plate.—
Megan Hughes,
Better Homes & Gardens,
9 May 2026
Adjective
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Then downstairs in the filthy little basement, where there's the stone butt carved into the wall, people knew exactly what to do.—
Matt Ortile,
Condé Nast Traveler,
2 May 2026
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Strong supports the closing of Men’s Central Jail and said the department needed to look at medical care, filthy living conditions and a lack of healthy food and clean water.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
1 May 2026
Adjective
-
Last fall, a friend told Hobbs that Peanuts Deluxe Cafe, a greasy-spoon hangout for San Jose State students on East San Fernando Street, was for sale and the SJSU alum decided to jump in and took over in October.—
Sal Pizarro,
Mercury News,
7 May 2026
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The lightweight product leaves skin soft and smooth (but not greasy), so makeup applies evenly and lasts all day.—
Isabel Garcia,
PEOPLE,
4 May 2026
Adjective
-
In between, there are even taller art sculptures in red, green, or black colors.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
12 May 2026
-
There are black mold deposits in the water, in the drinking water.—
Irene Wright,
USA Today,
12 May 2026
Adjective
-
Microwaves seem to get dirty out of nowhere.—
Natalia Gonzalez Blanco Serrano,
The Spruce,
11 May 2026
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But the dirty secret is most of them are awful.—
Brian Tallerico,
Vulture,
11 May 2026
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
-
Within a decade, TMZ made its name with a combination of sleazy and sensational celebrity news.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
24 Apr. 2026
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Whispers about sleazy behavior generally do not meet the coverage threshold for traditional newsrooms, which are bound by strict ethical standards.—
Justine McDaniel,
Los Angeles Times,
14 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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All four options have free trials, but even after the trials end, their monthly prices aren’t too shabby.—
Katie Decker-Jacoby,
StyleCaster,
30 Apr. 2026
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The finish wasn’t too shabby, either.—
Jordan Bianchi,
New York Times,
28 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Scuzzy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/scuzzy. Accessed 13 May. 2026.
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