1
as in filthy
severely lacking in cleanliness
The squalid boarding house was overrun with rats.
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in vile
not moral or honest
The whole squalid affair will rightly end the politician's public career.
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of squalid
The suit alleged that Evergreen failed to pay at least $3 million of vulnerable workers’ earned wages, illegally charged rent for squalid housing, and maintained a culture of fear and violence.
—
Forum News Service, Twin Cities, 6 Feb. 2025
Harper also got stuck with a paralytic, leading her to collapse to the squalid floor, while the unseen killer scurried away.
—Matt Webb Mitovich, TVLine, 1 Feb. 2025
Workers complained of verbal and physical abuse, bosses threatening to send them back to their home countries and squalid living conditions.
—Sam Tabachnik, The Denver Post, 31 Jan. 2025
Many January 6 defendants have protested inhumane prison conditions, including physical abuse, retaliation, and deprivation of food and heat, in a squalid D.C. jail from which several hundred were relocated after a U.S. Marshals Service investigation.
—Paul Du Quenoy, Newsweek, 7 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for squalid
Forum News Service, Twin Cities, 6 Feb. 2025
Harper also got stuck with a paralytic, leading her to collapse to the squalid floor, while the unseen killer scurried away.
—Matt Webb Mitovich, TVLine, 1 Feb. 2025
Workers complained of verbal and physical abuse, bosses threatening to send them back to their home countries and squalid living conditions.
—Sam Tabachnik, The Denver Post, 31 Jan. 2025
Many January 6 defendants have protested inhumane prison conditions, including physical abuse, retaliation, and deprivation of food and heat, in a squalid D.C. jail from which several hundred were relocated after a U.S. Marshals Service investigation.
—Paul Du Quenoy, Newsweek, 7 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for squalid
Recent Examples of Synonyms for squalid
Adjective
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The law specifically spells out heating problems, pest infestations and filthy conditions as among the issues that could require a court’s intervention.—
Seth Klamann,
Denver Post,
30 May 2025
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Detectives have criminally charged the owner of nearly 50 Belgian Malinois dogs that were found trapped together in a cramped, filthy Queens apartment, police said Wednesday.—
Thomas Tracy,
New York Daily News,
14 May 2025
Adjective
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Today's extradition is a giant step forward in holding the defendant accountable for his unspeakably reprehensible and vile efforts to spread fear, chaos, and hate.—
Mandy Taheri,
MSNBC Newsweek,
24 May 2025
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Finally, the mint julep is a vile almost undrinkable beverage.—
John Cherwa,
Los Angeles Times,
3 May 2025
Adjective
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If soil clumps fall apart between your fingers or the texture is dusty, the soil is too dry and more water is needed.—
Heather Zidack,
Hartford Courant,
7 June 2025
-
That might be your pet-friendly home, a dusty 3D printer, or a social media obsession.—
Lien De Pau,
Forbes.com,
6 June 2025
Adjective
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For better or worse, high-end eco-resorts of this type tend to focus on hyper-local ingredients often grown in a pitiful little garden behind the kitchen.—
Christopher Cameron,
Robb Report,
30 May 2025
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From ’01 to ’20, the Knicks played in only 30 postseason games, posting a pitiful 9-21 record.—
Rohan Nadkarni,
NBC news,
18 May 2025
Adjective
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On my last trip to Crans-Montana, Switzerland, having a bag that could be easily cleaned was crucial after hiking, running, and cycling in the muddy woods.—
Michelle Tchea,
Travel + Leisure,
10 June 2025
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My feet sink into the muddy ground, wet soaking through my leather boots and sweat pooling under my arms and behind my knees.—
Erica Stern
June 9,
Literary Hub,
9 June 2025
Adjective
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The death of Pope Francis, sadly, has not escaped the attention of these truly contemptible criminals.—
Davey Winder,
Forbes.com,
24 Apr. 2025
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At the time, some of LeBron’s critics saw this as contemptible.—
Ross Andersen,
The Atlantic,
16 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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Washing Machine Cleaner Your clothes aren’t the only things that get dirty in the laundry room.—
Lauren David,
Southern Living,
13 June 2025
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The effort is big business with organized, managed, paid people doing the dirty work.—
Carolyn Rosenblatt,
Forbes.com,
13 June 2025
Adjective
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Conrad wraps the conversation by being incredibly disgusting about Bella’s nether regions.—
Kimberly Roots,
TVLine,
1 June 2025
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For the next 200 years, snails only appeared in Parisian cookbooks alongside an apology for including such a disgusting ingredient.—
Garritt C. Van Dyk,
Smithsonian Magazine,
29 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Squalid.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/squalid. Accessed 18 Jun. 2025.
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