dirty 1 of 3

adjective

ˈdər-tē How to pronounce dirty (audio)
Definition of dirtynext
1
as in filthy
not clean after working in the factory all day, his clothes are very dirty

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2
as in obscene
depicting or referring to sexual matters in a way that is unacceptable in polite society some radio stations refused to play the song because of the dirty lyrics

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3
as in turbulent
marked by wet and windy conditions they were unknowingly sailing into dirty weather

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4
as in foul
not being in accordance with the rules or standards of what is fair in sport the school is known for the dirty football it plays

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5
as in nasty
not following or in accordance with standards of honor and decency accused the other campaign of playing dirty tricks

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6
as in cheap
arousing or deserving of one's loathing and disgust laying off longtime employees was a dirty way for the company to reduce labor costs and save money

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7
as in corruptible
open to improper influence and especially bribery a movie about a dirty cop paid to protect a mafioso

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dirty

2 of 3

verb

as in to stain
to make dirty she dirtied her new sneakers when she splashed in the puddle

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dirty

3 of 3

adverb

as in illegally

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Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective dirty differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of dirty are filthy, foul, nasty, and squalid. While all these words mean "conspicuously unclean or impure," dirty emphasizes the presence of dirt more than an emotional reaction to it or, figuratively, stresses meanness or despicableness.

a dirty littered street
don't ask me to do your dirty work

When is it sensible to use filthy instead of dirty?

The words filthy and dirty are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, filthy carries a strong suggestion of offensiveness and typically of gradually accumulated dirt that begrimes and besmears. Figuratively, it can also describe disgusting obscenity.

a stained greasy floor, utterly filthy
filthy street language

When could foul be used to replace dirty?

The meanings of foul and dirty largely overlap; however, foul implies extreme offensiveness and an accumulation of what is rotten or stinking; it can also describe, for example, loathsome behavior.

a foul-smelling open sewer
a foul story of lust and greed

How does the word nasty relate to other synonyms for dirty?

Nasty applies to what is actually foul or is repugnant to one expecting freshness, cleanliness, or sweetness; in practice, however, nasty is often weakened to the point of being no more than a synonym of unpleasant or disagreeable. When used figuratively, nasty implies a peculiarly offensive unpleasantness.

it's a nasty job to clean up after a sick cat
had a nasty fall
his answer gave her a nasty shock
a stand-up comedian known for nasty humor

Where would squalid be a reasonable alternative to dirty?

While the synonyms squalid and dirty are close in meaning, squalid adds to the idea of dirtiness and filth that of slovenly neglect. Distinctively, its figurative use implies sordidness as well as baseness and dirtiness.

squalid slums
engaged in a series of squalid affairs

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 dirty
Adjective
An employee handled dirty utensils and dishes with gloves on and later handled clean dishes with those same gloves without washing hands in between. — Joseph Hernandez, Kansas City Star, 22 Oct. 2026 The district also warned customers not to drink or use cloudy or dirty water for food preparation or personal hygiene. — Sacbee.com, 21 Oct. 2026
Verb
Use the negative space beneath for handy shoe storage that doesn’t dirty the wood surfaces. — Tiffany Harrison, Architectural Digest, 3 Feb. 2026 The adventurous actress dirties up her frock and face to play the village pariah, who reeks of fish and would be no man’s idea of a suitable wife, except perhaps the one-eyed bum who sleeps in the town square. — Peter Debruge, Variety, 26 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for dirty
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dirty
  1. filthy
  2. obscene
  3. turbulent
  4. foul
  5. nasty
  6. cheap
  7. corruptible
  8. stain
Adjective
  • There are several different subtypes of New York City Restaurant, from the humble old-timers (Katz’s, Nom Wah) to the temples of filthy lucre (Bemelmans, Rao’s).
    — Helen Rosner, New Yorker, 18 Oct. 2026
  • The invention’s intent was to cut down on distracted driving — in addition to the frustration of digging around under filthy car seats.
    — Declan Gallagher, Entertainment Weekly, 13 Oct. 2026
Definition of filthy
Adjective
  • In Russia, soldiers die at the front by the hundreds of thousands while politically compliant billionaires accumulate obscene fortunes.
    — Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, Time, 22 Oct. 2026
  • At the next timeout, an announcement was made asking fans to refrain from obscene chants.
    — Gary Bedore, Kansas City Star, 21 Oct. 2026
Definition of obscene
Adjective
  • Still, Saudi Arabia has viewed attendance at the event, and general support for the Gulf during turbulent times, as a loyalty test for global business leaders.
    — Liz Hoffman, semafor.com, 19 Oct. 2026
  • Zacharia’s time in China was just one of her career highlights that triggered intense media scrutiny following her brief and turbulent appointment as White House press secretary.
    — John Liu, CNN Money, 17 Oct. 2026
Definition of turbulent
Adjective
  • The bodies of Machado and her daughters were discovered days later after a neighbor noticed a foul odor coming from the home.
    — CBS Miami Team, CBS News, 20 Oct. 2026
  • Caminero pulled Smith’s first-pitch splitter off the left-field foul pole for a two-run homer that gave the Rays a 5-1 lead.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 19 Oct. 2026
Definition of foul
Adjective
  • With American Family Field rocking, Ashby reared back and threw a nasty curve that Díaz tried to hold up on.
    — Jacob Lev, CNN Money, 24 Oct. 2026
  • Of course, there has been some criticism of this plan, as France is experiencing some pretty nasty civil unrest at the moment, but the game will go ahead, with the Saints having been in the country for a few days already.
    — Matt Reigle OutKick, FOXNews.com, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of nasty
Adjective
  • The best seats will be the cheapest There is a wide spread in the available prices for tickets to see U2 on their 2027 tour.
    — Jim Edwards, Fortune, 23 Oct. 2026
  • The federal government was preparing to change its rules on low-value imports, threatening her ability to purchase cheaper prescription medications for blood thinning and heart failure from Canada.
    — Andrew R. Chow, Time, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of cheap
Adjective
  • For now, Colorado will lead the way, making our system a little less corruptible with a yes vote on Amendment 86.
    — The Denver Post Editorial Board, Denver Post, 6 Oct. 2026
  • Trump has tried to curtail mail-in voting by arguing the ballots easily corruptible, despite casting a ballot by mail himself in March.
    — Maureen Groppe, USA Today, 29 June 2026
Definition of corruptible
Verb
  • The armpits of the Quran shirt are stained with centuries-old sweat.
    — Rebecca Mead, New Yorker, 26 Oct. 2026
  • In 2005, a vote-buying scheme known as Mensalão led to the conviction of senior PT figures and stained the party’s image.
    — Alessandra Freitas, CNN Money, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of stain

Phrases Containing dirty

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dirt-poor
dirty
dirtying
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Cite this Entry

“Dirty.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dirty. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

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