requiring exceptional skill or caution in performance or handling
given the high-ranking people involved, it will be a nasty job to hammer out a compromise
How does the adjective nasty differ from other similar words?
Some common synonyms of nasty are dirty, filthy, foul, and squalid. While all these words mean "conspicuously unclean or impure," 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
When is dirty a more appropriate choice than nasty?
The words dirty and nasty are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, 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 could filthy be used to replace nasty?
Although the words filthy and nasty have much in common, 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 would foul be a good substitute for nasty?
While in some cases nearly identical to nasty, 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
When might squalid be a better fit than nasty?
In some situations, the words squalid and nasty are roughly equivalent. However, 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
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Recent Examples of nastyThe race between Espaillat and Avila Chevalier has been nastier, exposing the risks of the mayor’s strategy.—
David Weigel,
semafor.com,
23 June 2026 Ghana's Inaki Williams was shown a yellow card after a nasty tackle on England's Anthony Gordon just outside the box.—
Monica Alba,
NBC news,
24 June 2026 After Gio didn’t play in the 2022 World Cup opener, Claudio Reyna sent another nasty-gram straight out of a pay-to-play youth system where parents, who are writing the checks, feel their children are entitled to playing time.—
Mark Zeigler,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
23 June 2026 Betty Kovacs, the eldest daughter of comedian Ernie Kovacs who with her sister Kippie and stepmother, actress-singer Edie Adams, was at the center of a nasty custody battle that kept Hollywood riveted in 1962, has died.—
Mike Barnes,
HollywoodReporter,
29 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for nasty
Lasko’s teammate, Devin Taylor, was able to get up and field the rolling ball that split the two defenders, but Lasko stayed on the ground in what was a pretty ugly crash.
—
Scott Thompson,
FOXNews.com,
3 July 2026
His ability to perform a cesarean section — something Doc couldn't dream of — forces the town to reckon with an ugly part of their collective conscience.
Counterculture Yippies would turn up at a 1970 Blood, Sweat & Tears show at Madison Square Garden, carrying obscene banners outside and dumping manure by the front gate.
—
Hillel Italie,
Los Angeles Times,
26 June 2026
Yippies would turn up at a 1970 Blood, Sweat & Tears show at Madison Square Garden, carrying obscene banners outside and dumping manure by the front gate.
According to the Macomb County Prosecutor's Office, 37-year-old Adam Mazur-Baker was arraigned Tuesday on one count of using a computer to commit a crime and one count of malicious use of telecommunications services.
—
DeJanay Booth-Singleton,
CBS News,
2 July 2026
This command executes malicious code inside the AppleScript directly.
Weaker global markets, which have impacted tech stock valuations, and the turbulent performance of SpaceX’s recent massive IPO were among the top concerns cited by insiders who have made the case that patience is a virtue.
—
John Kell,
Fortune,
1 July 2026
His confirmation closes one of the most turbulent presidential searches in UF history.
Margera tried to soothe the pain by submerging his fresh brand in a tub of filthy farm water, which resulted in a life-threatening staph infection that landed him in the hospital.
—
Sezin Devi Koehler,
Entertainment Weekly,
26 June 2026
Outside the Lineage warehouse Thursday morning, the smell of heavy smoke was already being replaced with that of spoiling food and filthy water.
—
Alex Wigglesworth,
Los Angeles Times,
25 June 2026
Alas, Ligeti proved to be an extraordinarily difficult collaborator, his manic perfectionism colliding with practical reality and leading to unpleasant scenes.
—
Alex Ross,
New Yorker,
29 June 2026
The consequences are unpleasant, but can also turn dangerous very quickly as body temperature rises.
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