1,400 new words in our dictionary! — Parasocial, glow-up, promposal & more
1,400 new words in our dictionary! — More

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

Relevance

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 This is more than a body odor problem — unclean clothes and linens are ripe feeding grounds for infectious bacteria. — Rahul Rao, Space.com, 19 Aug. 2026 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 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
  • Even as the country’s leadership grew more corrupt and repressive, Moscow kept getting more dazzling.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 15 Sep. 2026
  • Beyond the shimmying visit, the mystery of who killed Victor is expected to motor the sophomore season’s overarching storyline, including digging into people from the corrupt politician’s shady past.
    — Emily Krauser, PEOPLE, 15 Sep. 2026
Definition of corrupt
Adjective
  • That praise rings true more than a decade later thanks to joke after filthy joke, cameo after foul-mouthed cameo, scare after genuine scare.
    — Sara Netzley, Entertainment Weekly, 11 Sep. 2026
  • People were filthy in so many ways, so Mike really wrote that in.
    — Ben Travers, IndieWire, 20 Aug. 2026
Definition of filthy
Adjective
  • During the ride, Normandin-Parker's friend became sick and vomited in the car.
    — Matthew Rodriguez, CBS News, 18 Sep. 2026
  • Humans should not touch or approach a dead or sick deer, and household animals should be kept away from carcasses, the center advises.
    — Gloria Casas, Chicago Tribune, 18 Sep. 2026
Definition of sick
Adjective
  • About 15 feet away, there was an oversized rolling laundry bin where players would walk around reporters to drop off their dirty clothes.
    — Candace Buckner, New York Times, 14 Sep. 2026
  • In them, again and again, peering over the shoulders of the dirty loft buildings and overscale Cadillac Eldorados, the twin towers of the World Trade Center appear.
    — Baldwin Lee, Curbed, 10 Sep. 2026
Definition of dirty
Adjective
  • The hospital treats about 175 major pediatric spine cases per year, sparing patients from pain, and in some advanced cases, degraded lung function.
    — Sacbee.com, Sacbee.com, 14 Sep. 2026
  • 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
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
  • My brother comes back into the room, his hands muddy and his knees the colour of dusty brick.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 17 Sep. 2026
  • Sepideh Moafi Sepideh Moafi turned to Lebanese designer Georges Hobeika for her attire, sporting a dusty gold gown with a bevy of shimmering embellishments all over the bodice and semi-sheer flowing skirt.
    — Julia Teti, Footwear News, 15 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 22 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of nemesis

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

The Exceptions of '-s' and '-es' Plurals

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Back to School Vocabulary

Words from the 'Odyssey'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Words of the Week - Sept. 18
See More

Popular

See More

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Back to School Vocabulary
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
crayons-in-a-circle
Guess the Color Quiz Questions that use the whole box of crayons.
See All