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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Dissimilar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of dirty
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
Bianca Bosker, The Atlantic, 14 Sep. 2025
Getting your hands dirty is a leadership necessity.
—Glenn Llopis, Forbes.com, 13 Sep. 2025
Sarah Felbin, SELF, 23 May 2025
Crème Brûlée Steve Granitz Crème brûlée is like butter blonde, but dirtied up a bit for a browned, warm tint.
—Audrey Noble, Vogue, 2 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for dirty
Adjective
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
Verb
Every night, Blakeney told me, an army of employees filed into Epic Universe to power wash sidewalks, deadhead the plants, repaint dirty walls, and replace lightbulbs.
—Bianca Bosker, The Atlantic, 14 Sep. 2025
Getting your hands dirty is a leadership necessity.
—Glenn Llopis, Forbes.com, 13 Sep. 2025
Adverb
And for nights when you can't be bothered to dirty a million dishes just to get dinner on the table, there's an air fryer from Ninja.
—Sarah Felbin, SELF, 23 May 2025
Crème Brûlée Steve Granitz Crème brûlée is like butter blonde, but dirtied up a bit for a browned, warm tint.
—Audrey Noble, Vogue, 2 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for dirty
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dirty
Adjective
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Grab a sponge and a bucket, some vinegar, and dish soap, and scrub away that filthy grime.—
Karen Brewer Grossman,
Southern Living,
19 Sep. 2025
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Nothing sends chills down your spine like evil clowns, undead monsters and a filthy car.—
Charlie Vargas,
Oc Register,
12 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Guests will enjoy the experience free from disruptive behavior, foul language, obscene gestures, fighting, unruly conduct or inconsiderate actions.—
Ed Masley,
AZCentral.com,
20 Sep. 2025
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Other users called her obscene names, threatened to show up at her workplace, or sent her a photograph of guns.—
Quinn Clark,
jsonline.com,
16 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Giant chronicles a turbulent time in the life of famed children’s author Dahl when he was accused of anti-Semitism in the early 1980s.—
Greg Evans,
Deadline,
16 Sep. 2025
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As the biomaterials space navigates a more turbulent landscape marked by tightening budgets, regulatory uncertainty, and investor caution, Biofabricate is adapting its approach.—
Rhonda Richford,
Footwear News,
16 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Jessica Post, who lives near Auburn and was sitting near the right field foul pole with her sister, Deanna Ritter of Roseville, was happy the A’s had put the flags to half-staff.—
Graham Womack,
Sacbee.com,
15 Sep. 2025
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Then second baseman Máximo Acosta chased down the ball in foul territory and threw wildly past third.—
Steve Gorten,
Miami Herald,
15 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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The show is set just two years before the USCSS Nostromo crew touched down on LV-426, and brought something very nasty on board.—
Richard Edwards,
Space.com,
20 Sep. 2025
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Eddie’s answer was a little nastier than that.—
Shamira Ibrahim,
Vulture,
19 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Here, the median sale price of a home is about $137,000—one of the cheapest price tags in the country.—
Giulia Carbonaro,
MSNBC Newsweek,
18 Sep. 2025
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Health insurers plan to raise rates, pointing to rising health care costs, tariffs on prescription drugs and medical device imports, and the possible expiration of premium tax credits instituted during former President Joe Biden's administration that made plans cheaper.—
Sarah Volpenhein,
jsonline.com,
18 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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From fragmented records to corruptible datasets and the general noise across social media, agentic systems are facing a trust and truth crisis at the most fundamental level.—
Lawrence Wintermeyer,
Forbes.com,
11 Sep. 2025
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Iran prefers weak allies over strong ones, and corrupt and corruptible governments over ones that respond to their citizens’ needs.—
Graeme Wood,
The Atlantic,
2 Sep. 2025
Verb
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While there’s no secret deodorant conspiracy at play, there is a reason for the difference—certain types of deodorant are more prone to staining than others.—
Alexandra Emanuelli,
Southern Living,
20 Sep. 2025
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Police said Smirnova’s hospital gown and legs were also stained with blood.—
Alexandra Koch,
FOXNews.com,
19 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Dirty.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dirty. Accessed 22 Sep. 2025.
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