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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By inviting armed soldiers into our streets, the Governor has sold out our sovereignty to a corrupt politician looking to distract you from the Epstein Files, rising prices at the grocery store, and more Texans than ever unable to realize the dream of homeownership.—
Jenna Sundel,
MSNBC Newsweek,
16 Oct. 2025
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MacCallum noted that Mamdani had apologized to two dozen members of the NYPD, having previously referred to them as racist, wicked and corrupt.—
Ted Johnson,
Deadline,
15 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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On the other end, Ja’Marr Chase is coming off an absolutely filthy touchdown grab last Sunday.—
Steven Louis Goldstein,
New York Times,
16 Oct. 2025
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For collaborating with British officers while on parole, he was transferred to solitary confinement in a filthy cell.—
Stacy Schiff,
The Atlantic,
8 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Only sea stars injected with Vibrio pectenicida, or with material from sick sea stars, showed signs of disease.—
JSTOR Daily,
JSTOR Daily,
17 Oct. 2025
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The Aquarium’s Rescue and Rehabilitation team also spends several months every year caring for sick and injured green sea turtles at its Sea Turtle Hospital in Quincy, Massachusetts.—
Laura Baisas,
Popular Science,
16 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Two days later and nearly 400 miles to the west, good Samaritans found two baby girls crying on the dirty floor of a park restroom in the working-class coastal California city of Oxnard.—
Amanda Lee Myers,
USA Today,
21 Oct. 2025
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Yellow or orange flames might indicate a problem with combustion or dirty burners.—
Lauren Bengtson,
Better Homes & Gardens,
21 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Lattice’s resilient mesh network ensures that EagleEye remains functional in degraded or jammed environments.—
Kapil Kajal,
Interesting Engineering,
14 Oct. 2025
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Here, settler colonialism is understood as a form of environmental injustice, where pollution and degraded landscapes diminish Indigenous quality of life and ability to be in right relationship with the environment.—
JSTOR Daily,
JSTOR Daily,
11 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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The stained glass traces a hierarchy from the current dean to the Crown and then to God.—
Rick Burton,
Sportico.com,
6 Oct. 2025
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Wood stained baseboards may need a gentler cleaning approach, such as Murphy’s Oil Soap, to protect the finish.—
Karen Brewer Grossman,
Southern Living,
19 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Just past the cattle-ranching town of Bridgeport in northern California, near the border of Nevada, this deserted mining community is frozen in time along its dusty desert road.—
Nicole Kliest,
Vogue,
18 Oct. 2025
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The fan grates in the walk-in cooler were dusty, and the walk-in freezer evaporator lacked part covers.—
Camila Pedrosa,
Sacbee.com,
17 Oct. 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 23 Oct. 2025.
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