grubby

adjective

grub·​by ˈgrə-bē 

grubbier; grubbiest

1

: infested with fly maggots

2

a

: dirty, grimy

grubby hands

a grubby garage

b

: slovenly, sloppy

… her grubby and disheveled condition …

—P. G. Wodehouse

3

: worthy of contempt : base

grubby political motives

… became involved in grubby squabbles over money …

—Clive Gammon

grubbily

ˈgrə-bə-lē 

adverb

grubbiness

ˈgrə-bē-nəs 

noun

Synonyms of grubby

• filthy
• dusty
• stained
• dirty
• blackened
• muddy
• black

Examples of grubby in a Sentence

He lives in a grubby little apartment.

clean off those grubby hands before you touch anything

Recent Examples on the Web

To clean a really grubby baseboard, use a cloth and soapy water to remove dirt and stains. — Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 20 Nov. 2025

Yet its misguided grubby reputation is being peeled away to reveal the wealth of cultural and culinary treats. — Duncan Madden, Forbes.com, 16 Jan. 2026

The ceramic interior is easy to clean and the fingerprint-resistant finish keeps the exterior from looking grubby. — Bestreviews, Mercury News, 26 Feb. 2026

The mighty American sub surfaces in England only in grubby Subway franchises in tourist locations. — Dominic Green, The Washington Examiner, 20 Mar. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1725, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for grubby

• chubby
• cubby
• hubby
• scrubby
• shrubby
• stubby
• tubby

Kids Definition

grubby

adjective

grub·​by ˈgrəb-ē 

grubbier; grubbiest

: dirty entry 1 sense 1, slovenly

grubbily

ˈgrəb-ə-lē 

adverb

grubbiness

ˈgrəb-ē-nəs 

noun