as in filthy
not clean
get rid of that grotty old rag
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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Recent Examples of grotty
The grotty tenements of the Lower East Side — and the distinct fashion within — is as much of a character in A24’s drama as the eponymous ping pong player himself.
—
Anna Tingley, Variety, 27 Dec. 2025
Conners in the just-grotty-enough camp classic Showgirls; or Pamela The Last Showgirl Anderson.
—Raven Smith, Vogue, 14 Aug. 2025
The show, which chronicled two spiraling roommates in a grotty London flat who invariably do exactly the wrong thing, is not for the faint of heart.
—Natasha Frost, New York Times, 21 Mar. 2025
The assault took place on the grottiest of vessels, manned by violent criminals who had been banished into deep space.
—Justin Chang, The New Yorker, 28 Feb. 2025
In a stark contrast to its predecessor, the pop star’s EP tracks chronicled the sordid and grotty bits of celebrity.
—Charisma Madarang, Rolling Stone, 19 Feb. 2025
Bloober has translated the past as one might a literary classic, illuminating and modernizing the grottiest game to ever grace the PlayStation 2.
—Lewis Gordon, Vulture, 9 Oct. 2024
Anna Tingley, Variety, 27 Dec. 2025
Conners in the just-grotty-enough camp classic Showgirls; or Pamela The Last Showgirl Anderson.
—Raven Smith, Vogue, 14 Aug. 2025
The show, which chronicled two spiraling roommates in a grotty London flat who invariably do exactly the wrong thing, is not for the faint of heart.
—Natasha Frost, New York Times, 21 Mar. 2025
The assault took place on the grottiest of vessels, manned by violent criminals who had been banished into deep space.
—Justin Chang, The New Yorker, 28 Feb. 2025
In a stark contrast to its predecessor, the pop star’s EP tracks chronicled the sordid and grotty bits of celebrity.
—Charisma Madarang, Rolling Stone, 19 Feb. 2025
Bloober has translated the past as one might a literary classic, illuminating and modernizing the grottiest game to ever grace the PlayStation 2.
—Lewis Gordon, Vulture, 9 Oct. 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for grotty
Adjective
-
The filmmaker shows a strong handle over the film’s fanciful tone and fitfully filthy sense of humor, and he’s credited with composing the film’s score full of squawking brass instruments and skittish strings in addition to writing, directing and editing.—
Stephen Saito,
Variety,
16 Mar. 2026
-
But there’s a difference between a dirty deal and a filthy deal.—
NBC news,
NBC news,
15 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
If frozen molecules can survive within these dusty structures, they may later be released into the interstellar medium as the nebula disperses, contributing complex material to future generations of stars and planetary systems.—
Rupendra Brahambhatt,
Interesting Engineering,
15 Mar. 2026
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The Sombrero Galaxy was imaged to magnificent effect by the Hubble Space Telescope — most recently to mark its 35th anniversary in space — which revealed its sweeping disk-like structure and pronounced dusty lanes shining beneath its glowing galactic core.—
Anthony Wood,
Space.com,
14 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Think soft yellow hues, floral motifs, and colorful stained glass.—
Rachel Cormack,
Robb Report,
17 Mar. 2026
-
Place a dab of olive oil on a soft cloth and gently rub the stained area.—
Mary Marlowe Leverette,
The Spruce,
4 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Waterbirds eat crab, shrimp and crayfish found in the muddy waters, while batrays and leopard sharks glide effortlessly through grass beds off the coast.—
Chase Hunter,
Mercury News,
16 Mar. 2026
-
Between damp docks, muddy trails, and the occasional drizzle, they were quickly soaked and scuffed.—
Rosie Marder,
Travel + Leisure,
16 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
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
-
Article continues below Maul is a dirtier, grungier imagining of the Star Wars universe, leaning into the darker moments of shows like The Clone Wars and Rebels.—
Fran Ruiz,
Space.com,
17 Mar. 2026
-
Workshops offered by Best Cabo Adventures allow visitors to get their hands dirty and make their own clay works—while sampling tequila, of course.—
Latifah Al Hazza,
Condé Nast Traveler,
17 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Based on a tragic true-life incident, director Joe Carnahan's survival thriller stars Zachary Levi as one of four friends who head out on a fishing expedition and their boat capsizes in a nasty storm.—
Brian Truitt,
USA Today,
20 Mar. 2026
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Murder by Numbers is an entertainingly nasty thriller about two high-schoolers, popular Richard (Gosling) and introverted Justin (Michael Pitt), who plan the perfect murder and frame a local drug dealer for it.—
Roxana Hadadi,
Vulture,
20 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
During the arrest, Coberg slowly drove past the scene in a black Cadillac Escalade SUV — with the window rolled down — as Iza watched from the back seat.—
City News Service,
Daily News,
17 Mar. 2026
-
Adding in signature accessories—including those soft leather black ballet flats from The Row, a ball cap, and an oversized suede tote—we’re itching to recreate this one, asap.—
Kristina Rutkowski,
Vogue,
17 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Grotty.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/grotty. Accessed 21 Mar. 2026.
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