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 airport can feel like an unsanitary place.
—
Marley Malenfant, Austin American Statesman, 9 Mar. 2026
The detainees describe a camp where an average of about 3,000 people have lived per day in loud and unsanitary quarters, diseases spread easily and sleep is a luxury.
—Morgan Lee, Los Angeles Times, 8 Mar. 2026
Giving kitchenware a quick rinse and calling it a day can leave behind unwanted odors, bacteria, and food residue that makes the items unsanitary to use.
—Madeline Buiano, Martha Stewart, 7 Mar. 2026
The detainees describe a camp where an average of about 3,000 people have lived per day in loud and unsanitary quarters, diseases spread easily and sleep is a luxury.
—ABC News, 6 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for unsanitary
Marley Malenfant, Austin American Statesman, 9 Mar. 2026
The detainees describe a camp where an average of about 3,000 people have lived per day in loud and unsanitary quarters, diseases spread easily and sleep is a luxury.
—Morgan Lee, Los Angeles Times, 8 Mar. 2026
Giving kitchenware a quick rinse and calling it a day can leave behind unwanted odors, bacteria, and food residue that makes the items unsanitary to use.
—Madeline Buiano, Martha Stewart, 7 Mar. 2026
The detainees describe a camp where an average of about 3,000 people have lived per day in loud and unsanitary quarters, diseases spread easily and sleep is a luxury.
—ABC News, 6 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for unsanitary
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unsanitary
Adjective
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The filmmaker shows a strong handle over the film’s fanciful tone and fitfully filthy sense of humor, and he’s credited with composing the film’s score full of squawking brass instruments and skittish strings in addition to writing, directing and editing.—
Stephen Saito,
Variety,
16 Mar. 2026
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But there’s a difference between a dirty deal and a filthy deal.—
NBC news,
NBC news,
15 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
During the Gulf War in 1991, downwind countries experienced similar polluted rain as Kuwait’s oil fields burned.—
Armin Sorooshian,
The Conversation,
16 Mar. 2026
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Some Iranians fear the polluted rain, which also contains heavy metals, could contaminate drinking-water reservoirs and waterways.—
Tammy Webber,
Los Angeles Times,
15 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
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
-
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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Article continues below Maul is a dirtier, grungier imagining of the Star Wars universe, leaning into the darker moments of shows like The Clone Wars and Rebels.—
Fran Ruiz,
Space.com,
17 Mar. 2026
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Workshops offered by Best Cabo Adventures allow visitors to get their hands dirty and make their own clay works—while sampling tequila, of course.—
Latifah Al Hazza,
Condé Nast Traveler,
17 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
During the arrest, Coberg slowly drove past the scene in a black Cadillac Escalade SUV — with the window rolled down — as Iza watched from the back seat.—
City News Service,
Daily News,
17 Mar. 2026
-
Adding in signature accessories—including those soft leather black ballet flats from The Row, a ball cap, and an oversized suede tote—we’re itching to recreate this one, asap.—
Kristina Rutkowski,
Vogue,
17 Mar. 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
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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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That’s something that the broader AI industry has so far struggled to do, partly because LLMs are typically trained on vast, messy datasets scraped from across the internet, where ownership, consent and individual contributions from millions of sources are nearly impossible to track.—
Sharon Goldman,
Fortune,
19 Mar. 2026
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Over the years, messy planning has led to controversial, costly golden parachutes, shareholder lawsuits, a stockholder revolt and a bitter, distracting proxy fight.—
Jill Goldsmith,
Deadline,
18 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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In recent years, south suburban Dolton and Thornton Township have become synonymous with political dysfunction — chaotic public meetings, allegations of financial impropriety, and residents stuck with deficits and unpaid bills.—
The Editorial Board,
Chicago Tribune,
16 Mar. 2026
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At Chicago O’Hare International Airport, a CNN reporter saw chaotic scenes, with passengers shuffling from line to line.—
Amanda Musa,
CNN Money,
16 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Unsanitary.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unsanitary. Accessed 21 Mar. 2026.
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