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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of sordid
By now her sordid life of crime is somewhat familiar, or should be.
—
Howie Carr, Boston Herald, 8 Nov. 2025
The sordid history of Oklahoma’s second-largest city has become a kind of cottage industry for Hollywood in recent years.
—Alison Herman, Variety, 23 Sep. 2025
But neither is the sordid flip side, the anti-myth that ought to gut any misguided hankering after a mid-century golden age.
—Adam Begley, The Atlantic, 9 Sep. 2025
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
See All Example Sentences for sordid
Howie Carr, Boston Herald, 8 Nov. 2025
The sordid history of Oklahoma’s second-largest city has become a kind of cottage industry for Hollywood in recent years.
—Alison Herman, Variety, 23 Sep. 2025
But neither is the sordid flip side, the anti-myth that ought to gut any misguided hankering after a mid-century golden age.
—Adam Begley, The Atlantic, 9 Sep. 2025
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
See All Example Sentences for sordid
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sordid
Adjective
-
Sauron was bested by some filthy Hobbitses and their pal, Gollum.—
Erik Kain,
Forbes.com,
22 Jan. 2026
-
Slightly less filthy than the ones on the balcony, those bricks could have used a coat of paint.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
22 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
How heartbreaking, and how vile, that any adult claiming compassion would seek to imbue a child with that extreme allergy to their own self.—
Richard Lawson,
HollywoodReporter,
24 Jan. 2026
-
The Diary again casts its eye far and wide for news, any news, that might distract us all from the vile toxicity emanating from Washington—make that Davos.—
Chop Choppish Shop,
Air Mail,
24 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
These findings suggest that strong, organized magnetic fields may have been common in the early universe, especially in dusty starburst galaxies like Arp 220's ancient counterparts.—
Robert Lea,
Space.com,
30 Jan. 2026
-
These Cabernets often deliver bold black currant, plum, and dark chocolate flavors, layered with savory iron, dusty spice, herbs, and mineral notes.—
Liz Thach,
Forbes.com,
30 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
The women have frequently shared their custom dirty soda orders and helped catapult the once-niche drink, often guzzled from 44-ounce mega cups, into the spotlight.—
Brittany Anas,
Denver Post,
27 Jan. 2026
-
If extremely dirty, they can be very briefly dunked into cold water and wiped dry.—
Cathy Thomas,
Oc Register,
26 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
On Saturday, locals and hikers walking along the muddy trail stopped to admire the old brick building with a few empty beer kegs sitting outside.—
Brendan Murray,
Bloomberg,
27 Jan. 2026
-
If anything, the environment has gotten muddier for CEOs looking to do big deals, with disruption in Europe and trade continuing.—
Rohan Goswami,
semafor.com,
27 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Microsoft took months to fix Remote Desktop disconnection issues, then shipped a Windows Update that wiped out Copilot, and released updates that duplicated the Task Manager and created a nasty system recovery bug.—
Tom Warren,
The Verge,
29 Jan. 2026
-
Those might have increased here because of weak data, like the nasty drop in consumer confidence yesterday, or because of the expectation a new Fed chair will be more dovish.—
Kelly Evans,
CNBC,
28 Jan. 2026
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
Adjective
-
In addition to being immoral, CFA’s support for BDS likely violates state law, AB 2844, which prohibits California from contracting with entities that engage in discrimination, including against Jews or Israelis.—
Mark Pinkert,
Oc Register,
23 Dec. 2025
-
The film follows the deliciously immoral, widowed Lady Susan Vernon (Kate Beckinsale), who maneuvers, deceives and seduces her way through London and across her relatives' country estates in an effort to find a wealthy husband for herself and her daughter, Frederica (Morfydd Clark).—
Andrea Wurzburger,
PEOPLE,
29 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Sordid.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sordid. Accessed 3 Feb. 2026.
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