1
as in corrupt
having loose sexual morals
a sleazy lothario who is always on the make
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in cheap
of low quality
a sleazy yellow coat that was marked down to practically nothing and not worth even that
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in flimsy
being of a material lacking in sturdiness or substance
these cheap, sleazy curtains would do a poor job of blocking those wintertime blasts of cold air
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in dilapidated
showing signs of advanced wear and tear and neglect
several letters in the sleazy motel's neon "vacancy" sign had burned out
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 sleazy
No Fury feels a little like entrapment: The Neptunes’ beats are alien, seductively bizarre; Pusha raps about the spoils of his life of crime with the sleazy charm of an incubus.
—
Pitchfork, 30 Sep. 2025
Park oozes with an old guy’s perception of what charm should be but comes off more like a slightly sleazy Mediterranean oligarch wearing too much shiny gold jewelry.
—David Lyman, Cincinnati Enquirer, 27 Sep. 2025
Based on May Cobb's novel of the same name, the debut season premiered last month and captured the zeitgeist for its sleazy, twisty fun, eliciting a ton of buzz online — none the more so than for Akerman's questionable wig.
—EW.com, 23 Aug. 2025
Her next stop is to see Tommy (Michael Kelly), a sleazy figure from her past who stirs up disturbing memories.
—David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 14 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for sleazy
Pitchfork, 30 Sep. 2025
Park oozes with an old guy’s perception of what charm should be but comes off more like a slightly sleazy Mediterranean oligarch wearing too much shiny gold jewelry.
—David Lyman, Cincinnati Enquirer, 27 Sep. 2025
Based on May Cobb's novel of the same name, the debut season premiered last month and captured the zeitgeist for its sleazy, twisty fun, eliciting a ton of buzz online — none the more so than for Akerman's questionable wig.
—EW.com, 23 Aug. 2025
Her next stop is to see Tommy (Michael Kelly), a sleazy figure from her past who stirs up disturbing memories.
—David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 14 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for sleazy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sleazy
Adjective
-
Rooting out corrupt generals and criminal networks could take months, or even years.—
Dexter Filkins,
New Yorker,
12 Jan. 2026
-
Certainly, part of the way to improve Venezuela and to improve the Western Hemisphere and improve the lives of Americans is to get their very corrupt 25 years in decline, oil industry back going again.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
11 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
The older one does Warners cartoon bits, really old-fashioned, cheap-ass funny vaudeville stuff.—
Lea Veloso,
StyleCaster,
30 Jan. 2026
-
Amazon’s selection, however, renewed my faith in cheap-and-cheerful bottoms.—
Annie Blackman,
InStyle,
30 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Early warning is rudimentary and community liaison mechanisms are flimsy.—
Obi Anyadike,
semafor.com,
26 Jan. 2026
-
More than 500 Club Brugge supporters made the journey of almost 3,700 miles to watch Tuesday’s tie with the trio in the stands stripping down to the flimsy luminous green costume before being taken away by police.—
Reuters,
NBC news,
23 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
The project was planned to clear the area of outdated and dilapidated buildings, to attract new businesses and promote economic revitalization.—
Jessica Alvarado Gamez,
Denver Post,
27 Jan. 2026
-
The trip could also see China give the go-ahead for the UK to rebuild its dilapidated embassy in Beijing.—
Brendan Murray,
Bloomberg,
27 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Udo Kier is the perverted master of ceremonies in this three-ring circus of deviancy from director Paul Morrissey, which takes Frankenstein’s romantic necrophilia and distills it to its glistening, taboo essence.—
Katie Rife,
Vulture,
9 Nov. 2025
-
In a searing rebuttal days before the British socialite was convicted for procuring victims for Epstein’s abuse in December 2021, Comey spoke to the perverted duo’s reasons for targeting teens from disadvantaged backgrounds.—
Molly Crane-Newman,
New York Daily News,
17 July 2025
Adjective
-
Evening people were 79% more likely to have poor overall heart health compared with those in the intermediate group, the study found.—
Dr. Joseph Wendt,
ABC News,
28 Jan. 2026
-
Audits have identified poor planning, weak oversight, and insufficient monitoring of quality and cost.—
Walter Pavlo,
Forbes.com,
27 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
When valuations are stretched and sentiment is frothy, there is a stronger chance for pullbacks to be more severe.—
Lee Ying Shan,
CNBC,
26 Jan. 2026
-
In winter, the frothy surf turns to soft, lapping waves and camels lumber down the mountain for a dip.—
Anna Zacharias,
Condé Nast Traveler,
21 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
The department issued heavy fines and ultimately shuttered a neglected building in Denver’s uptown neighborhood last year that was owned by CBZ Management.—
Sam Tabachnik,
Denver Post,
8 Jan. 2026
-
The narrative highlights the growing, unseen populations of lonely and neglected individuals, shedding light on a vital but often ignored aspect of public care.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
9 Dec. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Sleazy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sleazy. Accessed 1 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
