as in dusty
severely lacking in cleanliness
My friend thinks that scuzzy dive bar has "character," but the smell alone is enough to keep me far away from that place.
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Recent Examples of scuzzy
Gorgeously textured and frequently very funny—Griffin’s wisecracking younger brother, Oren, is a scene-stealer—the book’s particular portrait of late-20th-century, upper-middle-class adolescence takes a generously wide angle, reveling in all the heady, scuzzy, confusing bits of coming of age.
—
Vogue, 26 Dec. 2024
The premise of the first movie, which treated Arthur as a scuzzy sociopath out of a Scorsese fever dream, is that unlike the dark-side characters in comic-book movies, Arthur really was just a disturbed individual.
—Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 4 Sep. 2024
That context may help explain why Big Tech products can sometimes feel frustrating, such as unhelpful Google search results or scuzzy Instagram accounts.
—Shira Ovide, Washington Post, 26 July 2024
The prior Deadpool films were scuzzy and cobbled together, even as the budget grew; the cameos from other Marvel characters felt half-hearted and perfunctory, inclusions for Deadpool to roll his eyes at, not for fans to cheer over.
—David Sims, The Atlantic, 23 July 2024
See All Example Sentences for scuzzy
Vogue, 26 Dec. 2024
The premise of the first movie, which treated Arthur as a scuzzy sociopath out of a Scorsese fever dream, is that unlike the dark-side characters in comic-book movies, Arthur really was just a disturbed individual.
—Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 4 Sep. 2024
That context may help explain why Big Tech products can sometimes feel frustrating, such as unhelpful Google search results or scuzzy Instagram accounts.
—Shira Ovide, Washington Post, 26 July 2024
The prior Deadpool films were scuzzy and cobbled together, even as the budget grew; the cameos from other Marvel characters felt half-hearted and perfunctory, inclusions for Deadpool to roll his eyes at, not for fans to cheer over.
—David Sims, The Atlantic, 23 July 2024
See All Example Sentences for scuzzy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for scuzzy
Adjective
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Although a typical shareholder meeting is a dusty, staid affair, the Berkshire Hathaway annual shareholders meeting is entirely different.—
Auzinea Bacon,
CNN Money,
3 May 2025
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Hutchins wanted to get a camera angle of Baldwin, sitting on a pew inside a dusty wooden church, for a dramatic moment in the film.—
Meg James,
Los Angeles Times,
1 May 2025
Adjective
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The new house is now disgustingly filthy and filled with trash and the smell of cat urine.—
Jeanne Phillips,
Mercury News,
29 Apr. 2025
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The common areas of the building have been filthy, too: trash all around the grounds and dirty stairwells.—
Chris Higgins,
Kansas City Star,
21 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Between dealing with clogged pores, breakouts, and greasy skin, some prefer to avoid the skincare product at all costs.—
Tatayana Yomary,
Essence,
29 Apr. 2025
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New Yorkers are now required to deposit any compostable household waste—food scraps, yard debris, and greasy paper products, such as pizza boxes—in bins marked for compost.—
Diego Lasarte,
New Yorker,
28 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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My stomach was completely black and blue after they were done.—
Parizaad Khan Sethi,
Allure,
2 May 2025
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The antibody provided mice with full protection against five snakes - the black mamba and a mix of cobras.—
Ari Daniel,
NPR,
2 May 2025
Adjective
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Coal plants are also the dirtiest fossil fuel in terms of planet-warming carbon dioxide emissions.—
Sammy Roth,
Los Angeles Times,
8 May 2025
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They were bullied, beaten, humiliated, tortured and shot, with productive laborers crammed on top of one another in the dirty stone barracks—separately from the Jewish prisoners, whose numbers grew ever larger.—
Paul Hockenos,
Smithsonian Magazine,
8 May 2025
Adjective
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In its time open, fueled by fans of its blackened mahi and buttery lobster rolls, owner Mike Smith has expanded his footprint, moving into a larger stall in the popular food hall — which has allowed for a menu expansion, as well.—
Amy Drew Thompson,
Orlando Sentinel,
6 Dec. 2022
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There are no glamorous furnishings — just a French window, its blackened panes suggesting the dark of night.—
Christopher Knight,
Los Angeles Times,
26 Oct. 2022
Adjective
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This is a world of murderers for hire, sleazy lobbyists, incompetent lawyers, sketchy doctors, and thieving ex-husbands.—
Amy Weiss-Meyer,
The Atlantic,
8 May 2025
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Scarred by infighting, the insecure NBC show eventually became a hate-watch for many and had all kinds of stereotypes, from diva catfights to sleazy directors to avaricious personal assistants.—
Chris Jones,
Chicago Tribune,
11 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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As of 2025, Logan Paul’s net worth is estimated to be $150 million, according to Celebrity Net Worth—not too shabby for someone who started out by making videos on the internet.—
Jenzia Burgos,
StyleCaster,
27 Mar. 2025
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Together these buildings trace the contours of change in the city, its history jumbled out of order on a slightly shabby street.—
Francesca Carington,
New York Times,
18 Feb. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Scuzzy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/scuzzy. Accessed 16 May. 2025.
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