1
2
as in bastard
a person whose behavior is offensive to others
a real sleaze who is constantly mooching off friends, and friends of friends
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in cheese
that which is of low quality or worth
the TV networks wouldn't be airing such sleaze if the public wasn't watching it
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of sleaze
The music sounds like a terrible Brooklyn electro indie-sleaze band opening for Crystal Castles or Yachts at Studio B, then rushing home to make sure the Tivo caught Gossip Girl.
—
Rob Sheffield, Rolling Stone, 22 Nov. 2025
Indie sleaze, the hallucination of a 2000s seedy-chic genre that never fully existed, is in vogue.
—Kieran Press-Reynolds, Pitchfork, 6 Nov. 2025
However, unlike that film's director, Claire Denis, Rollin is never afraid to indulge in camp, and occasionally outright sleaze, to juice his narrative at just the right moments.
—Declan Gallagher, Entertainment Weekly, 7 Oct. 2025
A touch of sleaze floated across this upscale-at-first-glance wardrobe.
—Lily Templeton, Footwear News, 30 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for sleaze
Rob Sheffield, Rolling Stone, 22 Nov. 2025
Indie sleaze, the hallucination of a 2000s seedy-chic genre that never fully existed, is in vogue.
—Kieran Press-Reynolds, Pitchfork, 6 Nov. 2025
However, unlike that film's director, Claire Denis, Rollin is never afraid to indulge in camp, and occasionally outright sleaze, to juice his narrative at just the right moments.
—Declan Gallagher, Entertainment Weekly, 7 Oct. 2025
A touch of sleaze floated across this upscale-at-first-glance wardrobe.
—Lily Templeton, Footwear News, 30 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for sleaze
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sleaze
Noun
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Then, about refocusing our attention on the challenges ahead, like pervert incentives and algorithms that aren’t in line with human flourishing.—
Jazz Monroe,
Pitchfork,
13 Jan. 2026
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Also, what many now interpret as Kubrick’s exposé of elite perverts was, in fact, mostly Schnitzler’s doing.—
Lane Brown,
Vulture,
17 Dec. 2025
Noun
-
In a large bowl or blender pitcher, add egg whites, cottage cheese, and shredded mozzarella cheese.—
Karla Walsh,
Better Homes & Gardens,
16 Feb. 2026
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The sides, such as green chile corn pudding, creamy mac and cheese, collards, and cowboy pinto beans, are as much a draw as the meats, while desserts like banana pudding and chocolate dirt pie provide a suitably indulgent finish.—
Lauren Dana Ellman,
Travel + Leisure,
16 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Here, the joyous and the boisterous contrast the dark and insidious, allowing viewers to both be delighted by colorful street scenes and celebrations while the rot of fear creeps in, as the details surrounding our main character (Wagner Moura) and his predicament are revealed.—
Megan Spurrell,
Condé Nast Traveler,
11 Feb. 2026
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Some older creep takes you aside and teaches you how to manipulate your girlfriends like a narcissistic abuse apprenticeship program?—
Kathleen Walsh,
Vulture,
10 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Tony's Jamaican Food Curry goat, oxtail and jerk chicken are a few of the traditional Jamaican specialties served at this friendly Pflugerville restaurant and East Austin food truck.—
Ana Gutierrez,
Austin American Statesman,
10 Feb. 2026
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Smarmy jerks can get obscenely wealthy in this country just by managing other people’s money.—
Gilad Edelman,
The Atlantic,
7 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Without Callie around, the chasm between Minnie — who holds an after-school job and eats microwaved junk at home — and Callie’s other friends feels wider than ever.—
Peter Debruge,
Variety,
14 Feb. 2026
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Fox News Digital took photos of the nearby camps — which contain piles of junk, such as clothes, open containers, boxes, bags and trash.—
Michael Ruiz , Adriana James-Rodil,
FOXNews.com,
13 Feb. 2026
Noun
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After spending a decade and a half in the brains of a meth kingpin and a slimeball attorney, Gilligan wanted his next protagonist to be a force for good.—
Ethan Shanfeld,
Variety,
7 Nov. 2025
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Now, these slimeballs no longer pose a threat to public safety.—
Greg Norman,
FOXNews.com,
18 July 2025
Noun
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The judge in front of me spent most of the time looking at the ground, leading ace AP boxing writer Ed Schuyler to write an entire story about the clown.—
Nick Canepa,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
15 Feb. 2026
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Deep cherry red, black, and white come together to create a whimsical world of dice, cards, sad clowns, and a ticking pocketwatch.—
Samantha Brash,
InStyle,
8 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Piles of human scraps offer a bottomless buffet to wildlife, and to access that bounty, animals need to be bold enough to rummage through human rubbish but not so bold as to become a threat to people.—
Marina Wang,
Scientific American,
14 Nov. 2025
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Helga once wrestled down a drunk fisherman in the Café, a man of above-average size, and then threw him out like a piece of rubbish; Jens thus transfers most of his weight automatically to her; who is this kid, by the way?—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
10 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Sleaze.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sleaze. Accessed 19 Feb. 2026.
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