as in filthy
not clean
this mirror is so grimy you can barely see your reflection in it
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Recent Examples of grimy
Since dark and moist environments allow for germs and microbes to thrive, a knife block can get particularly grimy if knives are stored damp, wet, or have not been thoroughly cleaned.
—
Karla Walsh, Better Homes & Gardens, 16 Jan. 2026
Clean the Microwave Exterior Wiping down the outside of your microwave, especially the high-touch handle and control panel, where grimy fingerprints build up, isn’t a step to skip.
—Gemma Johnstone, The Spruce, 10 Jan. 2026
In a grimy gray wig and sober black suit that subtly but pointedly leaps a century forward from the play’s origins to recall the Founding Fathers, Matthew Broderick’s Tartuffe speaks like the grandpa next door and pads across the stage with furtive footsteps, a monster masquerading as a mouse.
—Sara Holdren, Vulture, 17 Dec. 2025
Plus, the slim ankle keeps your hem off of grimy airport floors and even grimmer airplane bathrooms.
—Rosie Marder, Travel + Leisure, 30 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for grimy
Karla Walsh, Better Homes & Gardens, 16 Jan. 2026
Clean the Microwave Exterior Wiping down the outside of your microwave, especially the high-touch handle and control panel, where grimy fingerprints build up, isn’t a step to skip.
—Gemma Johnstone, The Spruce, 10 Jan. 2026
In a grimy gray wig and sober black suit that subtly but pointedly leaps a century forward from the play’s origins to recall the Founding Fathers, Matthew Broderick’s Tartuffe speaks like the grandpa next door and pads across the stage with furtive footsteps, a monster masquerading as a mouse.
—Sara Holdren, Vulture, 17 Dec. 2025
Plus, the slim ankle keeps your hem off of grimy airport floors and even grimmer airplane bathrooms.
—Rosie Marder, Travel + Leisure, 30 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for grimy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for grimy
Adjective
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This neighborhood, peopled almost entirely by the people who claim to have been driven from Poland and Russia, is the eyesore of New York and perhaps the filthiest place on the western continent.—
Alexandra Schwartz,
New Yorker,
9 Feb. 2026
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Rodents, roaches, flies and knives stored in filthy places were among the myriad violations on this week’s Sick and Shut Down List of South Florida restaurants that failed state inspection.—
David J. Neal,
Miami Herald,
6 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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This one, in a dusty olive green, has a high pile texture and subtle geometric design for the right amount of visual interest.—
Kate McGregor,
Architectural Digest,
13 Feb. 2026
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Mattresses and questionably clean bedding were dredged up, dusty couches cleared of detritus.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
13 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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Yet, even as India remains wedded to the dirtiest fossil fuel, its coal consumption is roughly 40% of China’s at the same stage of development, Ember found.—
Laura Paddison,
CNN Money,
11 Feb. 2026
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Camperlab also experimented with bleaching, dirty tints and shades of pink.—
Angela Velasquez,
Sourcing Journal,
10 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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The land, unfenced, abuts a bald blackened hillside that must be public land.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
28 Aug. 2025
-
In its time open, fueled by fans of its blackened mahi and buttery lobster rolls, owner Mike Smith has expanded his footprint, moving into a larger stall in the popular food hall — which has allowed for a menu expansion, as well.—
Amy Drew Thompson,
Orlando Sentinel,
6 Dec. 2022
Adjective
-
The guest-only Chapel Club has a more plush, salon-like feel and there’s more than a hint of naughtiness with stained glass windows casting color onto the sensual artworks.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
23 Jan. 2026
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How To Remove Types Of Mattress Stains Step-By-Step Vacuum the mattress and stained area.—
Ashlyn Needham,
Southern Living,
20 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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The walk to the Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena, which is hosting men’s and women’s competitions at the 2026 Olympic Games, is a muddy one.—
Sean Gregory,
Time,
4 Feb. 2026
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Once the ground is thawed enough to be worked with—but not oversaturated or muddy-feeling—use a rake or roller to try and even things back out.—
Nishaa Sharma,
The Spruce,
3 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Sánchez Arévalo has framed the film as a deliberate genre blend — thriller, drama, black comedy and Western — emphasizing that its resistance to easy labelling was central to the appeal.—
Emiliano De Pablos,
Variety,
9 Feb. 2026
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The black outline at the neckline of the dress was contrasted by a soft, creamy color on the remaining fabric.—
Julia Teti,
Footwear News,
9 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Grimy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/grimy. Accessed 16 Feb. 2026.
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