sleaze

noun

ˈslēz How to pronounce sleaze (audio)
Definition of sleazenext
1
as in pervert
a person of low moral character some sleaze will try to make a buck off of this tragedy

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance
2
as in bastard
a person whose behavior is offensive to others a real sleaze who is constantly mooching off friends, and friends of friends

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in cheese
that which is of low quality or worth the TV networks wouldn't be airing such sleaze if the public wasn't watching it

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 sleaze In the last few years, a slew of secondhand trends have come and gone, from the Y2K renaissance, to an Indie sleaze’s revival (which never quite took off), to the recent burst of 1990s minimalism à la Calvin Klein and Prada. — Alexandra Hildreth, Vogue, 30 July 2026 In the first half of the album, Dean explores unstable characters—bearing some resemblance, perhaps, to their indie-sleaze peers—with both second-hand embarrassment and fascination. — Cassidy Sollazzo, Pitchfork, 13 July 2026 Rodrigo’s other beloved trends, like vintage mod and indie sleaze, are also on the rise on the site. — Chelsey Sanchez, CNN Money, 25 June 2026 Like it or not, the mess of indie sleaze is back. — Madeline Hirsch, InStyle, 3 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for sleaze
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sleaze
  1. pervert
  2. jerk
  3. cheese
  4. creep
  5. clown
  6. junk
  7. slimeball
  8. dog
Noun
  • Hansen, who left NBC in 2013 but remains a leader in the pervert-ambushing space, has spoken about having considered a sting operation against Jeffrey Epstein in 2015.
    — Justin Chang, New Yorker, 25 Sep. 2026
  • This blatant fealty over objectivity perverts the process by choosing personal loyalists instead of independent public servants.
    — Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 6 Aug. 2026
Definition of pervert
Noun
  • From award-winning jerk pork wraps to classic rice and peas, every bite celebrates our heritage.
    — Charlotte Observer, Charlotte Observer, 9 Oct. 2026
  • Bella’s childhood friend Angus (Jake Simmance), a corporate jerk, condescendingly probes Johnny about his career.
    — Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of jerk
Noun
  • Employee did not wash hands or change gloves before handling shredded cheese.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 26 Oct. 2026
  • Take the lid off, then add 1 3/4 cups cheese and stir to combine.
    — Candy Hom, AJC.com, 26 Oct. 2026
Definition of cheese
Noun
  • As summer wraps up and fall creeps in, the sharks return south.
    — Asia London Palomba, Christian Science Monitor, 20 Oct. 2026
  • Or maybe the steady, unobtrusive creep of conservatism has been the idea all along.
    — Ben Travers, IndieWire, 19 Oct. 2026
Definition of creep
Noun
  • That’s not to jinx the master clown who’s currently doddering around in Argan’s shoes on Broadway.
    — Sara Holdren, Vulture, 23 Oct. 2026
  • In several descriptions of these amateur events, including some of his own, Hemingway sounds less like a matador than a rodeo clown.
    — Stephen Bates, New Yorker, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of clown
Noun
  • As an investment-grade company, Oracle can borrow cheaply and with duration, but that would change with a junk rating, said Jamie Meyers, a senior securities analyst at Laffer Tengler, which owns Oracle stock.
    — Michelle Fox, CNBC, 19 Oct. 2026
  • No one has ever been seriously injured by falling space junk, but there are a few examples of property damage.
    — Stephen Clark, ArsTechnica, 19 Oct. 2026
Definition of junk
Noun
  • Democrats want this slimeball as their 2028 presidential nominee.
    — Jackson Thompson OutKick, FOXNews.com, 19 May 2026
  • After spending a decade and a half in the brains of a meth kingpin and a slimeball attorney, Gilligan wanted his next protagonist to be a force for good.
    — Ethan Shanfeld, Variety, 7 Nov. 2025
Definition of slimeball
Noun
  • Lamm told TechCrunch that conventional breeding can produce dogs with poor eyesight or genetic predispositions to cancer.
    — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 23 Oct. 2026
  • Cadaver dogs also alerted to the scent of a corpse in the vehicle.
    — Frannie Comstock, Encyclopedia Britannica, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of dog

Browse Nearby Words

slays
sleaze
sleazebag
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

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

Copy Citation
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of milieu

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Why do we 'bury the lede?'

'Za' and 9 Other Words to Help You Win at SCRABBLE
See More

Popular

See More

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
different halloween monsters in silhouette
A Monstrous Vocab Quiz Words That Go Bump in the Night
See All