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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of sleaze
In their place, messy buns, indie sleaze layering and a cigarette hanging from the lip à la 2000s-era Kate Moss signal an aesthetic marked by attitude over appearance.
—
Melissa Fleur Afshar, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 July 2025
The second season hits Aug. 21, and a new Comic-Con trailer gave us a look at the show's humor, insanity and, yes, even some emotion – all set to a lot of catchy sleaze metal.
—Brian Truitt, USA Today, 28 July 2025
Twin Shadow One of the indie sleaze era’s final heartthrobs, synth pop crooner Twin Shadow was a rising star as the 2010s took shape.
—Mars Salazar, Austin American Statesman, 2 July 2025
The clothes are no longer made in L.A., but curiously, the indie sleaze billboard campaign has returned to the city.
—Lorraine Ali, Los Angeles Times, 2 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for sleaze
Melissa Fleur Afshar, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 July 2025
The second season hits Aug. 21, and a new Comic-Con trailer gave us a look at the show's humor, insanity and, yes, even some emotion – all set to a lot of catchy sleaze metal.
—Brian Truitt, USA Today, 28 July 2025
Twin Shadow One of the indie sleaze era’s final heartthrobs, synth pop crooner Twin Shadow was a rising star as the 2010s took shape.
—Mars Salazar, Austin American Statesman, 2 July 2025
The clothes are no longer made in L.A., but curiously, the indie sleaze billboard campaign has returned to the city.
—Lorraine Ali, Los Angeles Times, 2 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for sleaze
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sleaze
Noun
-
The Gooneral’s attendees didn’t care that Malone was, from all available evidence, not a gooner at all but rather an unaffiliated, lone-wolf pervert.—
Daniel Kolitz,
Harpers Magazine,
24 Oct. 2025
-
Boiled down to a thoughtless pervert by the public, Six became one.—
Alison Foreman,
IndieWire,
21 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
In a 350°F oven, bake the cheese for about 6 minutes, or until golden.—
Karla Walsh,
Better Homes & Gardens,
19 Oct. 2025
-
However, unlike beer or cheese, where microbes are intentionally introduced and controlled, fermentation in cocoa beans is a spontaneous process and largely uncontrolled.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
18 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Driving through lush, evergreen rainforest, far past the industrious city of Seattle, a rolling mist creeps in.—
Christina Fang,
Travel + Leisure,
22 Oct. 2025
-
That creep factor, however, only added to the adventure element, although the highlights included more of the magical, such as the pink dolphins that never seemed too far away and the opportunity to get a glimpse of everyday life along this massive, storied South American waterway.—
Jeri Clausing,
AFAR Media,
21 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Stop Sales sent the raw chicken, cut cow foot and jerk sauce into the garbage.—
David J. Neal,
Miami Herald,
20 Oct. 2025
-
Because even in a world of monsters, ghouls, and greedy jerks, the good guys still prevail.—
Gwen Ihnat,
Entertainment Weekly,
18 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
And Doctorow asserts Amazon began charging merchants junk fees.—
NPR,
NPR,
21 Oct. 2025
-
Even without such a collapse, the influx of synthetic junk muddies the waters for real users.—
Charlie Warzel,
The Atlantic,
20 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Now, these slimeballs no longer pose a threat to public safety.—
Greg Norman,
FOXNews.com,
18 July 2025
-
Indeed, one of the new creatures slithering around Britain are grotesque, bloated slimeballs that suck up worms from the earth and are easily killed with a bow and arrow.—
Jordan Hoffman,
EW.com,
18 June 2025
Noun
-
This guy might be single-handedly responsible for generations of people having an irrational fear of clowns.—
Steven Thrash,
Entertainment Weekly,
24 Oct. 2025
-
Unlike past attempts at fictionalizing his life, Macmanus barely touches on the fact that Gacy had a hobby of dressing up like a clown, and doesn’t show any actual murders in the series.—
Elisabeth Garber-Paul,
Rolling Stone,
24 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
One hurdle for these editors is that far-right hate is more conducive to digital slop, both because algorithms prize outlandish ragebait and because the tribalistic ideas themselves are low IQ rubbish.—
Kieran Press-Reynolds,
Pitchfork,
24 Oct. 2025
-
This was due to the incredible amount of rubbish that had been left to pile up inside.—
Jack Beresford,
MSNBC Newsweek,
7 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Sleaze.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sleaze. Accessed 26 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share