1
as in filthy
not clean
after working in the factory all day, his clothes are very dirty
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in obscene
depicting or referring to sexual matters in a way that is unacceptable in polite society
some radio stations refused to play the song because of the dirty lyrics
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3
as in turbulent
marked by wet and windy conditions
they were unknowingly sailing into dirty weather
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4
as in foul
not being in accordance with the rules or standards of what is fair in sport
the school is known for the dirty football it plays
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5
as in nasty
not following or in accordance with standards of honor and decency
accused the other campaign of playing dirty tricks
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6
as in cheap
arousing or deserving of one's loathing and disgust
laying off longtime employees was a dirty way for the company to reduce labor costs and save money
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7
as in corruptible
open to improper influence and especially bribery
a movie about a dirty cop paid to protect a mafioso
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as in to stain
to make dirty
she dirtied her new sneakers when she splashed in the puddle
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as in illegally
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Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of dirty
Glamour, 30 Mar. 2025
Nobody wants their toothbrush bristles touching dirty surfaces or falling into unsanitary places.
—Katelyn Squiers, Better Homes & Gardens, 28 Mar. 2025
Kenny Torrella, Vox, 7 Dec. 2018
Garments can be dirtied again by the elements if air-dried outside.
—Mary Cornetta, Better Homes & Gardens, 23 July 2024
Ashraf Khalil and Didi Tang, The Christian Science Monitor, 3 Oct. 2023
During the Cold War, Washington routinely played dirty to protect the liberal order.
—Victor Cha, Foreign Affairs, 14 Dec. 2022
See All Example Sentences for dirty
Adjective
By Emily Tannenbaum November 22, 2023: Sweeney and Powell whisper dirty pickup lines at each other in a TikTok video that has over 24 million views.
November 14, 2023: Powell opens up about the speculation in an interview with Men's Health.
—Glamour, 30 Mar. 2025
Nobody wants their toothbrush bristles touching dirty surfaces or falling into unsanitary places.
—Katelyn Squiers, Better Homes & Gardens, 28 Mar. 2025
Verb
Instead, Walz seems to have little to say about factory farming dirtying the state’s waterways.
—Kenny Torrella, Vox, 7 Dec. 2018
Garments can be dirtied again by the elements if air-dried outside.
—Mary Cornetta, Better Homes & Gardens, 23 July 2024
Adverb
The campaign gained intensity when photos circulated on the Internet of Ya Ya looking dirty and gaunt (by panda standards) with patchy fur.
—Ashraf Khalil and Didi Tang, The Christian Science Monitor, 3 Oct. 2023
During the Cold War, Washington routinely played dirty to protect the liberal order.
—Victor Cha, Foreign Affairs, 14 Dec. 2022
See All Example Sentences for dirty
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dirty
Adjective
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Chicagoans will have no one to hold accountable at the ballot box when the buses don’t arrive and rail stations are filthy and crime-ridden.—
Forrest Claypool,
Chicago Tribune,
14 Mar. 2025
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The plastic waste China received was filthy, much of it too dirty to be cleaned, shredded, and turned into new plastic.—
Scott W. Stern,
The Atlantic,
10 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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Depardieu allegedly used obscene language with her and was pulled away from her by bodyguards, according to the AP.—
KC Baker,
People.com,
24 Mar. 2025
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The cause of Montgomery's wrath, and of his March 30 date, is the Federal Communications Commission, which set an April 1, 2025, deadline for smaller jails to lower the obscene rates of inmate phone calls.—
Ars Technica,
Ars Technica,
18 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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The court’s decision marks the end of what has been a turbulent presidency.—
Max Kim,
Los Angeles Times,
4 Apr. 2025
-
Losses weren’t quite as dire as on Thursday for media and tech stocks, but the morning still signaled a glum end to a turbulent week.—
Dade Hayes,
Deadline,
4 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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The Seminoles clobbered Nick Robert’s pitches early in the game; center fielder Max Williams laced a line-drive homer just inside the right-field foul pole to put FSU up 2-0 in the first inning.—
Adam Lichtenstein,
Sun Sentinel,
21 Mar. 2025
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Speaking of ad-libbing, Watson’s Residence co-star Ken Marino — who is a comedian — didn’t do any of that playing the President’s foul-mouthed chief adviser Harry Hollinger.—
Nellie Andreeva,
Deadline,
20 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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And Anatsa is particularly nasty.—
Zak Doffman,
Forbes,
10 Mar. 2025
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This disheartening reality augurs a future in which the prosperity of a few affluent enclaves depends in part on the rest of the globe becoming ever more nasty, brutish, and hot.—
Scott W. Stern,
The Atlantic,
10 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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Both sources heat faster and more evenly than charcoal, plus both fuels are cheaper.—
BestReviews,
Chicago Tribune,
10 Apr. 2025
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This data will more closely resemble real-world data than existing synthetic data, down to the molecular or sub-atomic level, while also being far cheaper and easier to produce.—
Bernard Marr,
Forbes.com,
10 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Its players are turncoats whose legacies are forever stained.—
Greg Cote,
Miami Herald,
6 Apr. 2025
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Be careful and don’t use it every wash because these products can stain your hair with a pink or lavender tint.—
Jennifer Hussein,
Allure,
4 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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On the outskirts of Lima, Peru, locals stumbled upon some dusty items in a vacant lot.—
Aspen Pflughoeft,
Miami Herald,
9 Apr. 2025
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Meanwhile, Andrea Taylor, owner of Andrea Marino Design in Dallas, Texas, has noticed an uptick in mauve, dusty blue, and butter yellow fabrics.—
Quincy Bulin,
Southern Living,
8 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Dirty.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dirty. Accessed 17 Apr. 2025.
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