sordid

adjective

ˈsȯr-dəd How to pronounce sordid (audio)
Definition of sordidnext
1
as in filthy
not clean he managed to rise above the sordid streets upon which he grew up

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in vile
not following or in accordance with standards of honor and decency a sordid affair involving bribery and corruption in high places

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective sordid differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of sordid are abject, ignoble, and mean. While all these words mean "being below the normal standards of human decency and dignity," sordid is stronger than all of these in stressing physical or spiritual degradation and abjectness.

a sordid story of murder and revenge

Where would abject be a reasonable alternative to sordid?

While in some cases nearly identical to sordid, abject may imply degradation, debasement, or servility.

abject poverty

When might ignoble be a better fit than sordid?

The synonyms ignoble and sordid are sometimes interchangeable, but ignoble suggests a loss or lack of some essential high quality of mind or spirit.

an ignoble scramble after material possessions

When can mean be used instead of sordid?

The words mean and sordid can be used in similar contexts, but mean suggests small-mindedness, ill temper, or cupidity.

mean and petty satire

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 sordid An unlicensed casino grows up to be a Baptist college, one that doesn’t shy away from its sordid past, as Christ himself never shied away from a sinner. —Matthew Adams, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 26 Aug. 2025 This sordid saga is a rogue boomerang. —Pat Beall, Sun Sentinel, 14 Aug. 2025 The American people deserve real answers on this sordid saga. —Jack Royston, MSNBC Newsweek, 13 Aug. 2025 In fact, there is a long history of sordid attempts by authoritarian governments to suppress negative economic statistics. —Tom Saler, jsonline.com, 12 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for sordid
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sordid
  1. filthy
  2. vile
  3. dusty
  4. dirty
  5. muddy
  6. nasty
  7. blackened
  8. immoral
Adjective
  • The couple slept on a filthy mattress on the floor with their 4-year-old son, Stephano.
    — Daniel Gonzalez, AZCentral.com, 6 Nov. 2025
  • The big comedy set pieces overwhelm Miller’s attempts at satire, but any movie that has Nicholson casually dropping filthy double (and single) entendres beneath arched eyebrows is worth a look.
    — Keith Phipps, Vulture, 31 Oct. 2025
Definition of filthy
Adjective
  • Players have faced vile fan reactions and even death threats for their failure to satisfy bettors in the moment.
    — Sally Jenkins, The Atlantic, 26 Oct. 2025
  • The Minnesota Vikings condemned the vile racist message defensive back Isaiah Rodgers received following the team’s 28-22 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles.
    — Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 21 Oct. 2025
Definition of vile
Adjective
  • People pour in from the dense warrens of India’s financial capital and from dusty villages thousands of kilometers away, all flowing towards the fortified, sea-facing Mumbai home of actor Shah Rukh Khan.
    — Rhea Mogul, CNN Money, 9 Nov. 2025
  • Workers are startled when a jar tumbles out of a dusty box and rolls onto the ground.
    — Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 6 Nov. 2025
Definition of dusty
Adjective
  • Bliss is said to have examined Garfield's wounds with unwashed hands and dirty tools, and the president's death further damaged his reputation.
    — Allison DeGrushe, Entertainment Weekly, 10 Nov. 2025
  • Solar power cuts greenhouse gas emissions and local air pollution from dirty generators that can cause health problems.
    — Jeff Young, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Nov. 2025
Definition of dirty
Adjective
  • The boots have deep, high-traction treads that grip muddy ground, mixed terrain, and even ice.
    — Sian Babish, PEOPLE, 8 Nov. 2025
  • So kids and adults alike can take a quick bathroom break without having to tramp through the interior, getting back to the outdoor activities of the day without peeling off muddy boots or clothes.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 4 Nov. 2025
Definition of muddy
Adjective
  • The growth of passive investing, through index funds found in the 401(k) accounts of average Americans, has propped up the stock market while also potentially setting it up for a nasty fall.
    — Mark Dent, HubSpot, 7 Nov. 2025
  • Instead of this stuff that's raised overseas that's done in ways that doesn't have any checks, that it's got polluted water, it's being fed really nasty stuff, full of antibiotics, full of chemicals.
    — Dan Morrison, USA Today, 7 Nov. 2025
Definition of nasty
Adjective
  • The land, unfenced, abuts a bald blackened hillside that must be public land.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 28 Aug. 2025
  • 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
Definition of blackened
Adjective
  • Still, the idea that Americans came together to help freedom seekers in the face of immoral laws offers hope for America’s truest ideals.
    — Trevor Hughes, USA Today, 10 Nov. 2025
  • That suits its otherworldly and somewhat formal tone, which takes viewers deep into Japan’s mythical past for a quartet of eerie tales about lonely ghosts and vengeful spirits who bring supernatural justice to selfish and immoral humans.
    — Katie Rife, Entertainment Weekly, 30 Oct. 2025
Definition of immoral

Browse Nearby Words

sorcery
sordid
sordidness
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Cite this Entry

“Sordid.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sordid. Accessed 14 Nov. 2025.

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