requiring exceptional skill or caution in performance or handling
given the high-ranking people involved, it will be a nasty job to hammer out a compromise
How does the adjective nasty differ from other similar words?
Some common synonyms of nasty are dirty, filthy, foul, and squalid. While all these words mean "conspicuously unclean or impure," 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
When is dirty a more appropriate choice than nasty?
The words dirty and nasty are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, 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 could filthy be used to replace nasty?
Although the words filthy and nasty have much in common, 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 would foul be a good substitute for nasty?
While in some cases nearly identical to nasty, 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
When might squalid be a better fit than nasty?
In some situations, the words squalid and nasty are roughly equivalent. However, 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
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Recent Examples of nastyArgentina goalkeeper Emi Martinez was taken to the hospital with a head injury after receiving about 10 minutes of treatment following a nasty-looking collision while playing for Chelsea in the Premier League on Saturday.—ABC News,
17 Oct. 2026 The visuals are too murky even to provide a nasty thrill when a pod of orcas descends on Jay’s gargantuan host.—
David Rooney,
HollywoodReporter,
14 Oct. 2026 However, the modern versions that are packed with high explosives and sit lurking under the dirt to blow up unwary vehicles or pedestrians are much nastier affairs.—New Atlas,
12 Oct. 2026 Barkley delivered a nasty spin move that left him slightly sideways, forcing him to jump and then leapfrog backward.—
Mark Long,
The Orlando Sentinel,
9 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for nasty
In the world of sports broadcasting, ESPN and Buck did Aikman dirty.
—
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
27 Oct. 2026
Now Gizelle has to decide whether that person is her longtime friend in real life or the woman who has spent the past several seasons doing much of her dirty work.
The malicious system component silently installs apps that look like weather tools, app lockers and other everyday utilities.
—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
23 Oct. 2026
The Federal Bureau of Investigation also warned that malicious actors could exploit the vulnerabilities to execute code remotely, putting sensitive data and networks at risk.
Kansas has emerged as an unlikely battleground in a turbulent midterm election year for Republicans, who are striving to hold onto slim majorities in both chambers of Congress.
—
Matthew Kelly,
Kansas City Star,
27 Oct. 2026
The production decision also follows a turbulent development history.
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
Other research suggests trypophobic people find hole clusters as unpleasant as pictures of skin disease and that people with a history of skin problems may find hole clusters particularly uncomfortable to look at.
That is followed by one focused on exploring conventional notions of beauty by uncovering the unexpected draw of unpleasant scents with Naïla Hamayed, Givaudan’s fragrance evaluator.
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