1
as in corrupt
having loose sexual morals
a sleazy lothario who is always on the make
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in cheap
of low quality
a sleazy yellow coat that was marked down to practically nothing and not worth even that
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in flimsy
being of a material lacking in sturdiness or substance
these cheap, sleazy curtains would do a poor job of blocking those wintertime blasts of cold air
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4
as in dilapidated
showing signs of advanced wear and tear and neglect
several letters in the sleazy motel's neon "vacancy" sign had burned out
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of sleazy
What unfolds is a sleazy cat-and-mouse game of unrequited obsession set against a backdrop of vivid Wes Anderson–like interiors, leaving one to think there must be something in the water.
—
Air Mail, 28 Mar. 2026
Jesus is a zhlubby failson, Mary is a flirtatious blonde housewife, Joseph is the horny stepdad who stepped up, and Judas is a sleazy con man.
—Eric Vilas-Boas, Vulture, 18 Mar. 2026
Russ Meyer produced such sleazy spectacles as Faster, Pussycat!
—René Ostberg, Encyclopedia Britannica, 13 Mar. 2026
And with facial recognition capabilities on the horizon, there’s a compelling argument to be made for less-than-passive resistance to the sleazy new devices.
—Joe Wilkins, Futurism, 25 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for sleazy
Air Mail, 28 Mar. 2026
Jesus is a zhlubby failson, Mary is a flirtatious blonde housewife, Joseph is the horny stepdad who stepped up, and Judas is a sleazy con man.
—Eric Vilas-Boas, Vulture, 18 Mar. 2026
Russ Meyer produced such sleazy spectacles as Faster, Pussycat!
—René Ostberg, Encyclopedia Britannica, 13 Mar. 2026
And with facial recognition capabilities on the horizon, there’s a compelling argument to be made for less-than-passive resistance to the sleazy new devices.
—Joe Wilkins, Futurism, 25 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for sleazy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sleazy
Adjective
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Other methods of sneaking contraband into a prison include throwing it over a facility’s fence, coordinating through the mail and, in some cases, involving corrupt corrections officers.—
Taylor Galgano,
CNN Money,
3 May 2026
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Assessor Gus Kramer stayed in office when a jury deadlocked on a civil grand jury accusation of willful or corrupt misconduct in office.—
East Bay Times editorial,
Mercury News,
30 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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The carrier failed to secure a financial lifeline to continue operating, ending the discount air travel pioneer’s time in the sky, costing some 17,000 jobs and thousands of cheap flights in the market.—
Leslie Josephs,
CNBC,
2 May 2026
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Villa can be vulnerable to cheap giveaways in midfield, so Emery moved Morgan Rogers alongside Watkins up front and in the inside-right channel, higher upfield and not in central or deep positions where he can be swarmed.—
Jacob Tanswell,
New York Times,
1 May 2026
Adjective
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Replacing flimsy closet shelving, adding adjustable pantry shelves, or installing hooks can turn cluttered spaces into organized ones and improve everyday routines.—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
6 May 2026
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The knit material keeps things breathable, while the memory foam insole cushions every step without feeling overly soft or flimsy.—
Chaise Sanders,
Travel + Leisure,
5 May 2026
Adjective
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Zaragoza stationed his men on the high ground, hidden behind cacti, behind walls of dilapidated forts, in ditches.—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
4 May 2026
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Longtime Oak Lawn Village Board member Timothy Desmond has resigned from his post to enter into a contract with the village through his home building company to restore dilapidated properties, with the goal of putting them back on the tax rolls.—
Olivia Stevens,
Chicago Tribune,
28 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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What’s a worse sin/crime — declaring an obvious murder a suicide to protect a perverted crony?—
Howie Carr,
Boston Herald,
26 Apr. 2026
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But even by its perverted lights, those numbers don’t convey a booming economy screaming for restraint.—
Steve Forbes,
Forbes.com,
25 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Injuries to key players on the Amazin’s contributed to some poor numbers as well.—
Fiifi Frimpong,
New York Daily News,
28 Apr. 2026
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Although poor students are disproportionately likely to receive special education in New York City, well-off disabled kids are the ones most acutely driving up the budget.—
Marc Novicoff,
The Atlantic,
28 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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In true Austen fashion, this work of lightly speculative fiction is frothy and fun, but also deeply invested in digging into the real price of being a woman in Regency-era England.—
Kate Erbland,
IndieWire,
6 May 2026
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Perhaps, as Weiner points out, the 2008 financial crisis and subsequent recession dimmed the public’s appetite for frothy stories about the pursuit of Birkin bags.—
Hillary Busis,
Vanity Fair,
4 May 2026
Adjective
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Cinematographer Guillermo Garza shoots neglected settings like fine art, embracing the grime.—
Amy Nicholson,
Los Angeles Times,
3 Apr. 2026
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An El Segundo father says that he was arrested in early March for taking matters into his own hands by installing stop signs and repainting a neglected and dangerous intersection.—
Jasmine Viel,
CBS News,
25 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Sleazy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sleazy. Accessed 8 May. 2026.
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