as in filthy
not sanitary and likely to cause disease
working under unsanitary conditions The bathroom facilities were unsanitary.
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Recent Examples of unsanitary
The items were stored in unsanitary conditions.
—
Michele Laufik, Martha Stewart, 5 Jan. 2026
The jail has long faced criticism from inmates and their attorneys about unsafe and unsanitary living conditions.
—Jay Stahl, USA Today, 5 Jan. 2026
Investigators requested the assistance of San Diego Humane Society officers to assist the animals that were found trapped inside the unsanitary apartment.
—Caleb Lunetta, San Diego Union-Tribune, 31 Dec. 2025
The recall was issued after the FDA found unsanitary conditions at the Gold Star facility, including rodent feces and urine and bird droppings in areas where products were stored.
—Riley Moser, CBS News, 29 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for unsanitary
Michele Laufik, Martha Stewart, 5 Jan. 2026
The jail has long faced criticism from inmates and their attorneys about unsafe and unsanitary living conditions.
—Jay Stahl, USA Today, 5 Jan. 2026
Investigators requested the assistance of San Diego Humane Society officers to assist the animals that were found trapped inside the unsanitary apartment.
—Caleb Lunetta, San Diego Union-Tribune, 31 Dec. 2025
The recall was issued after the FDA found unsanitary conditions at the Gold Star facility, including rodent feces and urine and bird droppings in areas where products were stored.
—Riley Moser, CBS News, 29 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for unsanitary
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unsanitary
Adjective
-
So many downtown buildings and parking areas are filthy, smelling of urine and unmaintained.—
U T Readers,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
12 Jan. 2026
-
Merry Christmas ya filthy animals.—
Virginia Chamlee,
PEOPLE,
26 Dec. 2025
Adjective
-
The lagoon is the most biologically diverse estuary on the nation’s east coast, but the manatees, birds and fish that call it home are suffering dramatically from the death of seagrass and the abundance of noxious algae that thrive on polluted water.—
Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board,
The Orlando Sentinel,
11 Jan. 2026
-
The state also has an above average number of polluted waterways and more coal ash ponds — small, toxic water bodies near coal plants where poisonous refuse is discarded — than any other state.—
Karl Schneider,
IndyStar,
6 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Bonner’s story is what is right about sports, which seem to become more soiled and corrupt by the minute.—
Troy Renck,
Denver Post,
8 Jan. 2026
-
Towels—including bath towels, hand towels, kitchen towels, and washcloths—are often more soiled than clothes.—
Jolie Kerr,
Better Homes & Gardens,
22 Dec. 2025
Adjective
-
The checklist for cleaning the kitchen was probably just washing dirty dishes, wiping down countertops, and mopping the floors.—
Elizabeth Brownfield,
Southern Living,
7 Jan. 2026
-
Don't be afraid to get your hands dirty.—
Shagun Khare,
Martha Stewart,
6 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Pine, 45, wore a classic double-breasted black suit that featured a silk lapel with a crisp white shirt and a black bowtie.—
Madison E. Goldberg,
PEOPLE,
13 Jan. 2026
-
The shoes’ uppers are overwhelmingly decorated with light, wispy petals made from all-black leather.—
Karla Rodriguez,
Footwear News,
12 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
The company issued the recall because the shrimp may have been prepared, packed or held under insanitary conditions whereby they may have become contaminated with cesium-137 (Cs-137).—
Chad Murphy,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
22 Sep. 2025
-
Employees were observed to only sanitize their gloved hands after touching insanitary surfaces and then resumed touching RTE food and various food contact surfaces.—
Daniel R. Depetris,
Newsweek,
12 Jan. 2025
Adjective
-
But for the 2026 reboot, the two couples are poly and everything is way messier than the original.—
James Folta,
Literary Hub,
15 Jan. 2026
-
Even the world’s top leaders have shared that between messy return-to-office politics, scrambling to keep up with AI, and an unforgiving schedule, work gets too daunting for them, too, sometimes.—
Orianna Rosa Royle,
Fortune,
15 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
By contrast, fringe subcultures operate in a more cryptic and chaotic manner.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
12 Jan. 2026
-
Much of the movie's story revolves around Marty's chaotic efforts to make enough money to travel to Japan and compete in a tournament there.—
Tommy McArdle,
PEOPLE,
12 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Unsanitary.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unsanitary. Accessed 19 Jan. 2026.
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