1
as in filthy
not clean
after working in the factory all day, his clothes are very dirty
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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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as in to stain
to make dirty
she dirtied her new sneakers when she splashed in the puddle
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as in illegally
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Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of dirty
Johanna Mathieu, The Conversation, 11 June 2025
Reinhart has been largely a non-factor since the dirty hit laid on him by Hurricanes forward Sebastian Aho in the Eastern Conference Finals.
—Adam Beasley, Miami Herald, 10 June 2025
Will Porter, Travel + Leisure, 12 Feb. 2025
For example, a small non-shedding dog that rarely goes outside won't dirty a bed nearly as fast as a large labarador that plays outside daily.
—Halee Miller Van Ryswyk, Better Homes & Gardens, 7 Apr. 2025
Cheryl V. Jackson, The Courier-Journal, 16 Sep. 2024
The campaign gained intensity when photos circulated on the Internet of Ya Ya looking dirty and gaunt (by panda standards) with patchy fur.
—Ashraf Khalil and Didi Tang, The Christian Science Monitor, 3 Oct. 2023
See All Example Sentences for dirty
Adjective
But if everyone turns on their air conditioner at the same time, electricity demand spikes, which can force power grid operators to activate some of the most expensive, and dirtiest, power plants.
—Johanna Mathieu, The Conversation, 11 June 2025
Reinhart has been largely a non-factor since the dirty hit laid on him by Hurricanes forward Sebastian Aho in the Eastern Conference Finals.
—Adam Beasley, Miami Herald, 10 June 2025
Verb
Place them in a shoe bag or wrap them in a plastic bag to keep them from dirtying other items.
—Will Porter, Travel + Leisure, 12 Feb. 2025
For example, a small non-shedding dog that rarely goes outside won't dirty a bed nearly as fast as a large labarador that plays outside daily.
—Halee Miller Van Ryswyk, Better Homes & Gardens, 7 Apr. 2025
Adverb
Sonic Drive-In began offering the option to make its drinks dirty by adding coconut cream and lime for an additional charge.
—Cheryl V. Jackson, The Courier-Journal, 16 Sep. 2024
The campaign gained intensity when photos circulated on the Internet of Ya Ya looking dirty and gaunt (by panda standards) with patchy fur.
—Ashraf Khalil and Didi Tang, The Christian Science Monitor, 3 Oct. 2023
See All Example Sentences for dirty
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dirty
Adjective
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The law specifically spells out heating problems, pest infestations and filthy conditions as among the issues that could require a court’s intervention.—
Seth Klamann,
Denver Post,
30 May 2025
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Detectives have criminally charged the owner of nearly 50 Belgian Malinois dogs that were found trapped together in a cramped, filthy Queens apartment, police said Wednesday.—
Thomas Tracy,
New York Daily News,
14 May 2025
Adjective
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The obscene cost of healthcare has pushed manufacturers offshore and kept wages stagnant for decades.—
Ro Khanna,
Twin Cities,
12 June 2025
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In Tacoma, 35 miles to the south, Ted Bundy grew up near the American Smelting and Refining Co., which disgorged obscene levels of lead and arsenic into the air while netting millions for the Guggenheim dynasty before its 1986 closure.—
Hamilton Cain,
Los Angeles Times,
5 June 2025
Adjective
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The capsizing was believed to have been caused by turbulent waters from heavy recent rains.—
Democrat-Gazette Staff From Wire Reports,
Arkansas Online,
13 June 2025
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In these turbulent times learning how to manage disputes is a must.—
Harvard Business Review,
Harvard Business Review,
12 June 2025
Adjective
-
Detroit Tigers outfielder Riley Greene slid into foul territory down the left-field line in pursuit of Chase Meidroth’s third-inning fly ball, then disappeared in a cloud of dust.—
Paul Sullivan,
Chicago Tribune,
3 June 2025
-
Then, Muncy went deep again, continuing his recent surge by belting another three-run homer high off the right-field foul pole, tying a career-high with seven RBIs on the day.—
Jack Harris,
Los Angeles Times,
1 June 2025
Adjective
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And some erratic vibrations were detected at points last week as the stark outperformance of year-to-date laggards over the top 2025 performers prompted some comparisons to the nasty momentum-stock reversal of February and March that upset the market well before the tariff panic.—
Michael Santoli,
CNBC,
14 June 2025
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But while Burns appeared to solve Oakmont for the day, some players who performed well on Thursday got eaten alive by the nasty course on Friday.—
Kyle Feldscher,
CNN Money,
13 June 2025
Adjective
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This means some fans will be watching Messi for as little as $4, which is a far cry from the cheapest seats being cast at $349 when the draw was made in December.—
Adam Crafton,
New York Times,
14 June 2025
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The funding was meant to put the US in a position to compete with Chinese automakers, who have developed cheap and effective EVs that have piqued interest among car buyers around the world.—
Aarian Marshall,
Wired News,
13 June 2025
Verb
-
The team that would replace us would be stained, football would be stained.—
Felipe Cardenas,
New York Times,
17 June 2025
-
As both business owner and head baker — her black chef’s coat is usually powdered with flour, her hands stained with icing — Vee won’t have time this June to participate in the Chicago Pride Parade.—
Sophie Levenson,
Chicago Tribune,
17 June 2025
Adjective
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If soil clumps fall apart between your fingers or the texture is dusty, the soil is too dry and more water is needed.—
Heather Zidack,
Hartford Courant,
7 June 2025
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Resilience carried a rover with a shovel to gather lunar dirt as well as a Swedish artist's toy-size red house for placement on the moon's dusty surface.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
6 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Dirty.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dirty. Accessed 20 Jun. 2025.
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