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 Health inspectors found rodent droppings under the soda fountain and unclean traps. — Shambhavi Rimal, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 11 June 2026 This reduces the amount of dirt tracking that happens when cleaning with an unclean item. — Natalia Gonzalez Blanco Serrano, The Spruce, 21 May 2026 Dan Tana’s, a red-sauce West Hollywood institution, closed April 15 to 18 due to vermin infestation, unclean surfaces, plumbing or drainage citations and improper build or maintenance of walls, floors or ceilings, according to the health department. — Stephanie Breijo, Los Angeles Times, 12 May 2026 Food can become contaminated at any stage of preparation, according to the Mayo Clinic, which warns that unclean kitchen tools and surfaces can transfer harmful germs. — Kelly McGreal, FOXNews.com, 3 May 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
  • Harry and the six other high-profile claimants failed to prove their allegations that the publisher unlawfully obtained private information through methods including private investigators, deception, phone hacking and corrupt payments.
    — Erin Hill, PEOPLE, 7 July 2026
  • After all, this was FIFA, the infamously corrupt governing body of international soccer that seems to function not based on its rulebook but on the whims of a few guys in a room.
    — Bennett Durando, Denver Post, 7 July 2026
Definition of corrupt
Adjective
  • From shabby apartments to art experiments to filthy needles—with echoes of Patti Smith and Rebecca Makkai—Adler conjures an era of sorrow borne by too many, too young.
    — Hamilton Cain, Time, 7 July 2026
  • A week after Venezuela’s twin earthquakes, doctors warn untreated wounds, filthy shelters and scarce supplies are fueling a looming wave of infections that could claim more lives.
    — Regina Garcia Cano, Los Angeles Times, 1 July 2026
Definition of filthy
Adjective
  • If a sick animal did end up at a slaughterhouse, the US Department of Agriculture’s thorough meat inspection system would very likely spot it, separate it from others and deem it US Suspect.
    — Jen Christensen, CNN Money, 5 July 2026
  • But when McGinley was a teen-ager, Michael became sick with AIDS and moved home to New Jersey.
    — Chris Wiley, New Yorker, 4 July 2026
Definition of sick
Adjective
  • Or stands proudly athwart a county that has long demonized it as too dirty, too crime-ridden — in other words, too Latino.
    — Gustavo Arellano, Los Angeles Times, 6 July 2026
  • At the center sits a giant mound of dirty work clothes, and hidden speakers play a nonstop whisper of the laborers’ names.
    — Jeff Chu, Travel + Leisure, 6 July 2026
Definition of dirty
Adjective
  • Old potting soil may not only potentially harbor pests and diseases that will impact the health of your plants, but soil from previous seasons can become a bit degraded and drain too fast or too slowly for your plant's needs.
    — Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 3 July 2026
  • Faster delivery with degraded quality just accelerates technical debt and erodes user trust.
    — Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 1 July 2026
Definition of degraded
Adjective
  • Everything from the casting (male dancers, internet faves, and very few actual models) to the scenery (a 191-year-old venue with plenty of stained glass) to the ambiance (candlelit, with lots of bows and florals) embodied the brand's quintessential mix of romance, community, and nostalgia.
    — Madeline Hirsch, InStyle, 26 June 2026
  • Spread the mixture on the stained area; leave it for 15 minutes before wiping it away with a microfiber cloth.
    — Mary Marlowe Leverette, The Spruce, 19 June 2026
Definition of stained
Adjective
  • Their Victorian house looks preposterous in this dusty hamlet.
    — Judy Berman, Time, 9 July 2026
  • Miners flooded the dusty flats surrounding this area after three Irish prospectors, who had immigrated to Australia in the hopes of making their fortunes, accidentally stumbled across gold while looking for water in 1893.
    — Justin Meneguzzi, Travel + Leisure, 7 July 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 13 Jul. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of unclean for Spanish Speakers

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