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
Public Hazard Two men push a wheelbarrow through Old Havana on March 9 as others go about their daily lives, navigating streets blocked by piles of trash that create unsafe, unsanitary conditions and disrupt traffic.
—
Thomas E. Franklin, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Apr. 2026
Also, under the American International Market name, the location received products that were part of a massive late 2025 recall due to the threat of foodborne illness from potential Salmonella contamination, the presence of rodent and avian contamination and unsanitary conditions.
—Cheryl V. Jackson, IndyStar, 31 Mar. 2026
Puppies sold in pet stores or online come from puppy mills, where dogs are housed in overcrowded, unsanitary conditions without veterinary care, adequate food or water, or socialization.
—Elise Gingrich, Denver Post, 29 Mar. 2026
Jensen previously pleaded guilty to a charge of care and treatment of animals in 2024, when he was found to have had 19 rats in a 20-gallon tank, living in unsanitary conditions, and all with upper respiratory infections and eye issues.
—Kyle Werner, Des Moines Register, 20 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for unsanitary
Thomas E. Franklin, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Apr. 2026
Also, under the American International Market name, the location received products that were part of a massive late 2025 recall due to the threat of foodborne illness from potential Salmonella contamination, the presence of rodent and avian contamination and unsanitary conditions.
—Cheryl V. Jackson, IndyStar, 31 Mar. 2026
Puppies sold in pet stores or online come from puppy mills, where dogs are housed in overcrowded, unsanitary conditions without veterinary care, adequate food or water, or socialization.
—Elise Gingrich, Denver Post, 29 Mar. 2026
Jensen previously pleaded guilty to a charge of care and treatment of animals in 2024, when he was found to have had 19 rats in a 20-gallon tank, living in unsanitary conditions, and all with upper respiratory infections and eye issues.
—Kyle Werner, Des Moines Register, 20 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for unsanitary
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unsanitary
Adjective
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Food that needed to be trashed for age or temperature abuse, malodorous air and filthy food containers were among the 33 violations an inspector found at a popular Miami seafood restaurant.—
David J. Neal,
Miami Herald,
21 Apr. 2026
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The girl from Santo Domingo’s bajo mundo made her name rapping gleefully filthy dembow in space-punk regalia.—
E.R. Pulgar,
Pitchfork,
16 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Such assurances are unlikely to quell the community’s decades-long experience with polluted runoff, however, and small farmers say that runoff could also present a food safety problem and threaten to set back years of organic farming practices.—
Thomas Heaton,
Los Angeles Times,
10 Apr. 2026
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State officials issued islandwide brown water advisories for Oahu and Maui after storms sent polluted runoff into coastal waters.—
Kathleen Wong,
USA Today,
1 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Let the paste sit for 10 to 20 minutes, leaving it on longer for heavily greased or soiled areas.—
Louise Parks,
Martha Stewart,
16 Jan. 2026
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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
Adjective
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Prior to that time, a conservative who dared toss the dirty indictment at his or her opponent would face disapproval from all directions, and, of course, condemnation from the legacy media.—
Bob Ehrlich,
Baltimore Sun,
21 Apr. 2026
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Knicks fans have grown accustomed to Hart doing the dirty work throughout the past four postseasons, but this is the first time first-year Knicks head coach Mike Brown has gotten to deploy the do-it-all guard’s versatility in the playoffs.—
Peter Sblendorio,
New York Daily News,
20 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Jackie Tohn looks elegant in a white button-down top and black flowing skirt at the Venice Family Clinic HEART Gala in Culver City, California, on April 18.—
Toria Sheffield,
PEOPLE,
21 Apr. 2026
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In Islam, a man is not allowed to touch a woman, so three women then came towards me dressed in black.—
Jacob Whitehead,
New York Times,
21 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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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
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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
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The internet’s onetime lovably messy provocateur has indeed turned over a new leaf, personally and professionally, and entered her Brand Safe era.—
Chris Gardner,
HollywoodReporter,
23 Apr. 2026
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But the move comes at a particularly messy time in Puig’s life.—
Amber Harding OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
23 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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But overall, humanoid robots still have a long way to go in demonstrating their capability to operate in complex and sometimes chaotic environments.—
Jeremy Hsu,
ArsTechnica,
20 Apr. 2026
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In Silky Smooth, Liao explores the chaotic stages of adulthood, scheduling fun plans with tired friends, the unfair treatment of single people, being attracted to silly men, and the fear of being a role model to her pretend children.—
Matt Grobar,
Deadline,
20 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Unsanitary.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unsanitary. Accessed 27 Apr. 2026.
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