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
show current usage.
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Recent Examples of dirty
Daley Quinn, Southern Living, 6 Apr. 2025
Tsunoda then spent the second stint starting at the rear wing of Fernando Alonso’s Aston Martin, again toiling in the dirty air.
—Luke Smith, New York Times, 6 Apr. 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
This also prevents your meat mallet from getting dirty as well.
—Daley Quinn, Southern Living, 6 Apr. 2025
Tsunoda then spent the second stint starting at the rear wing of Fernando Alonso’s Aston Martin, again toiling in the dirty air.
—Luke Smith, New York Times, 6 Apr. 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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Deputies found and arrested Betancourt, who was sentenced March 21 to six years and eight months in state prison for felony child abuse causing injury, felony domestic violence, witness intimidation, and possession of obscene matter depicting persons under age 18 engaged in lewd conduct.—
Bay City News Service,
Mercury News,
13 Apr. 2025
-
Lovable, charming and generous, yet temperamental, arrogant and obscene.—
Matthew Carey,
Deadline,
11 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
The court’s decision marks the end of what has been a turbulent presidency.—
Max Kim,
Los Angeles Times,
4 Apr. 2025
-
From playing a spirited college student in All American: Homecoming to navigating the turbulent world of Snowfall, Williams has mastered the art of transformation.—
Shelby Stewart,
Essence,
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
-
And Anatsa is particularly nasty.—
Zak Doffman,
Forbes,
10 Mar. 2025
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And then, to top a nasty joke with a nastier one, he was deemed useless for the final twenty years of his life.—
Jackson Arn,
The New Yorker,
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
-
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
-
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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The doors also slide open to reveal an adjustable shelf with storage for anything from your dusty DVD collection to game night puzzles.—
Yelena Moroz Alpert,
Architectural Digest,
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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