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adverb

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective filthy differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of filthy are dirty, foul, nasty, and squalid. While all these words mean "conspicuously unclean or impure," 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 might dirty be a better fit than filthy?

In some situations, the words dirty and filthy are roughly equivalent. However, 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 would foul be a good substitute for filthy?

The words foul and filthy are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, 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 is nasty related to other words for filthy?

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

In what contexts can squalid take the place of filthy?

The synonyms squalid and filthy are sometimes interchangeable, but 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 filthy
Adjective
While the exterior appears to be filthy, images from inside appear to show a white substance covering the steering wheel, dashboard, center console and other parts of the interior. Michael Ruiz, FOXNews.com, 23 Aug. 2025 What is really taking risks in comedy, which isn't just saying the R word or saying something so filthy that people are shocked. H. Alan Scott, MSNBC Newsweek, 20 Aug. 2025 The release said they were found in filthy containers and lacked food or water. Silas Morgan, The Orlando Sentinel, 15 Aug. 2025 The track, as yet untitled, rides a drum-and-bass-style breakbeat that could best be described as filthy. Jeff Ihaza, Rolling Stone, 14 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for filthy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for filthy
Adjective
  • Clothing must not feature offensive language, obscene gestures/graphics, or nudity or clothing that does not sufficiently cover undergarments.
    Sarah Moore, Freep.com, 9 Sep. 2025
  • The store supplied her with bondage pants, kilts, and T-shirts printed with obscene illustrations.
    Rebecca Mead, New Yorker, 8 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • The gentle, fragrance-free formula leaves even the dirtiest of clothes spotless.
    Sophia Panych, Allure, 16 Sep. 2025
  • Ahead of Lipa’s arrival the team was busy setting up trays of extra dirty martinis, her preferred drink.
    Leigh Nordstrom, Footwear News, 16 Sep. 2025
Adverb
  • Or consider the extremely rapid development of vaccines during the recent COVID pandemic.
    Alan Lightman September 12, Literary Hub, 12 Sep. 2025
  • Kirk has risen in popularity over the years for his extremely polarizing takes, which resulted in a heavy split among reactions to his passing.
    Regina Cho, VIBE.com, 12 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • The book is filled with vulgar pictures, with many faces blacked out, and messages both handwritten and typed from well-wishers for Epstein’s 50th birthday.
    Joey Garrison, USA Today, 9 Sep. 2025
  • The biopic is the vulgar but necessary tribute inherently populist cinema pays to more traditional, higher-brow art.
    Leslie Felperin, HollywoodReporter, 8 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • With Onum folded into Falcon, logs stop being dusty records and start becoming live intelligence.
    Tony Bradley, Forbes.com, 13 Sep. 2025
  • There, water to sustain such a colony may be trapped less than a foot beneath the dusty red surface.
    Jackie Wattles, CNN Money, 12 Sep. 2025
Adverb
  • The player known as Dan the Man during his playing days remains very active in a lot of different arenas.
    Bruce Y. Lee, Forbes.com, 16 Sep. 2025
  • Some like to get to the airport very early, with time for a full picnic, while others are dashing in at the last minute while downing a protein bar.
    Jessie Beck, AFAR Media, 16 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • In late May, a parishioner at Our Lady of the Visitation in Green Township complained to the archdiocese about pornographic websites showing up on a church computer.
    Dan Horn, Cincinnati Enquirer, 16 Sep. 2025
  • Concerns have already been raised over the dangers of nudification apps that can be used to create pornographic images of people without their consent.
    Bernard Marr, Forbes.com, 15 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • Besides looking unappetizing, using a mildewed, stained dish towel for drying rather defeats the purpose of washing dishes.
    Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 14 Sep. 2025
  • Hold the stained fabric taut and let the water flow from the back of the shirt to the front, allowing the water to push the stain away from the fabric rather than through it.
    Jolie Kerr, Better Homes & Gardens, 4 Sep. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Filthy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/filthy. Accessed 19 Sep. 2025.

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