1
as in corrupt
having or showing lowered moral character or standards
there's something unclean about this whole business
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in filthy
not clean
a lackadaisical waiter who tried to set our table with smudged glasses and unclean silverware
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of unclean
Historically, Black women have disproportionately faced related charges of being physically and biologically unclean.
—
Literary Hub, 21 Aug. 2025
The restaurant was closed because of issues with running water at its sinks, proper hot water temperature, improper refrigeration temperatures and unclean surfaces, according to the inspection report.
—Lillie Davidson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 16 Aug. 2025
Yet, in traditional Mongolian thought, even the most admirable dog is understood to be inherently unclean.
—Livia Gershon, JSTOR Daily, 2 Aug. 2025
An investigation by The Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA) found that the dogs were kept in unclean and overcrowded conditions, with little access to fresh water.
—Lesley Cosme Torres, People.com, 17 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for unclean
Literary Hub, 21 Aug. 2025
The restaurant was closed because of issues with running water at its sinks, proper hot water temperature, improper refrigeration temperatures and unclean surfaces, according to the inspection report.
—Lillie Davidson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 16 Aug. 2025
Yet, in traditional Mongolian thought, even the most admirable dog is understood to be inherently unclean.
—Livia Gershon, JSTOR Daily, 2 Aug. 2025
An investigation by The Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA) found that the dogs were kept in unclean and overcrowded conditions, with little access to fresh water.
—Lesley Cosme Torres, People.com, 17 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for unclean
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unclean
Adjective
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The story of corrupt small-town cops taking on a former Marine was written and directed by Jeremy Saulnier and stars Aaron Pierre, Don Johnson and AnnaSophia Robb.—
Jack Smart,
PEOPLE,
7 Sep. 2025
-
Delegates and party leaders described it as a corrupt and hypocritical maneuver from the governor.—
Nicole Nixon,
Sacbee.com,
7 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Away from a filthy Superdome and Convention Center where they had been holed up for days.—
Suzette Hackney,
USA Today,
5 Sep. 2025
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Alexander pulled out a baby-blue melodica to lay down a filthy ska rhythm for his band.—
Hannah Edgar,
Chicago Tribune,
1 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Some doctors might not even immediately recognize symptoms in a sick patient because vaccines have made many contagious diseases rare in this country, said Marty, the FIU expert.—
Michelle Marchante,
Miami Herald,
4 Sep. 2025
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However, some can, and those with risk factors can certainly become very sick.—
Katia Hetter,
CNN Money,
4 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Wearing shoes in the home tracks soil from outside, leaving floors dirtier and requiring more frequent sweeping.—
Jolie Kerr,
Better Homes & Gardens,
9 Sep. 2025
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Laptop screens get spattered, smeared, dusty, and dirty from frequent use.—
Brandee Gruener,
Southern Living,
9 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Developed by Toyota, the Sweep Energy Storage System rapidly switches each battery’s power flow on and off in mere microseconds, even when new batteries are connected to degraded or different capacity batteries.—
Georgina Jedikovska,
Interesting Engineering,
22 Aug. 2025
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Yet, as Beech pointed out, a lot of the material goods actually from the ‘70s are of a lower quality than earlier decades and also more degraded than the period relics of the ‘80s and ‘90s.—
Sarah Shachat,
IndieWire,
22 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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Dip a microfiber cloth in the solution and saturate the stained area.—
Mary Marlowe Leverette,
Southern Living,
6 Sep. 2025
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Hold the stained fabric taut and let the water flow from the back of the shirt to the front, allowing the water to push the stain away from the fabric rather than through it.—
Jolie Kerr,
Better Homes & Gardens,
4 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Use the floor brush for stairs, the crevice tool for windowsills and couch cushions, and the dusting brush for dusty surfaces.—
Isabel Garcia,
PEOPLE,
5 Sep. 2025
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Poor Ventilation Along with the increase in moisture and humidity, another leading cause for a dusty bathroom is poor ventilation.—
Ashlyn Needham,
Southern Living,
5 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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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
Cite this Entry
“Unclean.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unclean. Accessed 12 Sep. 2025.
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