unclean

adjective

ˌən-ˈklēn How to pronounce unclean (audio)
Definition of uncleannext
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

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 unclean Travelers may encounter issues like unclean accommodations and higher flight cancellation rates. — Christopher Elliott, USA Today, 13 Aug. 2026 Nathu is told that the carcass is required for veterinary purposes, but it is later placed on the steps of a mosque to provoke Muslim anger since pigs are traditionally considered unclean in Islam. — Encyclopedia Britannica, 29 July 2026 Unfortunately, during the early to mid-twentieth century, negative perceptions of immigrant and ethnic laborers led many outsiders to view their neighborhoods as unsafe, unclean, and detrimental to the social fabric of American cities. — Michelle Oliva-Espinosa, Kansas City Star, 18 July 2026 This is also the practice in India since the left hand is seen as unclean. — Boutayna Chokrane, Vogue, 17 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for unclean
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unclean
  1. corrupt
  2. filthy
  3. sick
  4. dirty
  5. degraded
  6. stained
  7. dusty
  8. blackened
Adjective
  • Fascism and communism are political systems designed to benefit society’s most inadequate and corrupt.
    — Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 7 Sep. 2026
  • This is the most corrupt administration in the history of America, and what corruption really is is stealing from my constituents.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 6 Sep. 2026
Definition of corrupt
Adjective
  • People were filthy in so many ways, so Mike really wrote that in.
    — Ben Travers, IndieWire, 20 Aug. 2026
  • While sinks can become filthy from soap splatters and dirty hands, toilets need cleaning for very different reasons.
    — Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 17 Aug. 2026
Definition of filthy
Adjective
  • As the years go by, babies are born, parents get sick and die, careers are started then ended, wives and husbands are thwarted, and, eventually, sheets are strewn and booties are tapped.
    — Jordan Mintzer, HollywoodReporter, 5 Sep. 2026
  • Last August, more than 360 people recently got sick after eating free MBG school lunches in Sragen, Central Java.
    — Bailey Richards, PEOPLE, 5 Sep. 2026
Definition of sick
Adjective
  • This tension is often subtext enough, and it’s accentuated by cinematographer Adric Watson’s tight and dirty frames, which confine Maya and Arti through astute visual composition, as the reality of their cushy lives is gradually illuminated.
    — Siddhant Adlakha, Variety, 5 Sep. 2026
  • Traction pods along the sneaker’s outsole make the shoe grippy on wet ground and durable enough to handle dirty trails and some rocky terrain.
    — Jasmine Gomez, Travel + Leisure, 5 Sep. 2026
Definition of dirty
Adjective
  • Energy analysts have consistently cautioned that raising Venezuelan output meaningfully will take years and billions of dollars in repairs to degraded infrastructure.
    — Nora Gámez Torres, Miami Herald, 29 Aug. 2026
  • That matters because degraded land is not simply an environmental concern.
    — Shooka Bidarian, Forbes.com, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of degraded
Adjective
  • With stained glass, the gray light from outside is filtered through beautiful pieces of glass.
    — Ryan Brennan, Charlotte Observer, 11 Sep. 2026
  • How To Deep Clean Stained Wood Baseboards For stained wood baseboards, Matthews advises dusting using a dry microfiber cloth and Murphy’s Oil or a wood cleaning oil (remove excessive dirt and crumbs with a vacuum cleaner first).
    — Daley Quinn, Southern Living, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of stained
Adjective
  • Saharan dust, a mass of dry, dusty air, can inhibit the development of tropical systems and storms.
    — Howard Cohen, Miami Herald, 9 Sep. 2026
  • Purple Haze From smoky lilac to rich plum, from wine red to dusty mauve, the purple palette reigns supreme this time of year.
    — Joy Montgomery, Vogue, 9 Sep. 2026
Definition of dusty
Adjective
  • The land, unfenced, abuts a bald blackened hillside that must be public land.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 28 Aug. 2025
Definition of blackened

Browse Nearby Words

unclassified
unclean
uncleaned
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Unclean.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unclean. Accessed 15 Sep. 2026.

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