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Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective sordid differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of sordid are abject, ignoble, and mean. While all these words mean "being below the normal standards of human decency and dignity," sordid is stronger than all of these in stressing physical or spiritual degradation and abjectness.

a sordid story of murder and revenge

Where would abject be a reasonable alternative to sordid?

While in some cases nearly identical to sordid, abject may imply degradation, debasement, or servility.

abject poverty

When might ignoble be a better fit than sordid?

The synonyms ignoble and sordid are sometimes interchangeable, but ignoble suggests a loss or lack of some essential high quality of mind or spirit.

an ignoble scramble after material possessions

When can mean be used instead of sordid?

The words mean and sordid can be used in similar contexts, but mean suggests small-mindedness, ill temper, or cupidity.

mean and petty satire

Examples of sordid in a Sentence

These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Recent Examples on the Web Flashback: The Tribune has a long, sordid history with endorsing candidates. Justin Kaufmann, Axios, 29 Oct. 2024 The air was thick with the horrors of its sordid history and the resistance of our ancestors who once stood there. Essence, 10 Oct. 2024 But there is some sordid history here: The Lunada Bay Boys surf clique has harassed outsiders for decades by throwing rocks, cutting leashes and blocking beach access. Brittany Levine Beckman, Los Angeles Times, 1 Aug. 2024 With a clear voice that largely avoids anger and outrage, and a sensitive spotlight on Scientology’s survivors, Gibney weaves the church’s sordid history and modern existence into a film that is by turns startling, tragic, and redemptive. Declan Gallagher, EW.com, 31 July 2024 See all Example Sentences for sordid 
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sordid
Adjective
  • Keepin’ Tabs Hey speaking of Google, the company also announced some good news for all of us filthy browser tab hoarders.
    Boone Ashworth, WIRED, 14 Sep. 2024
  • At the same time, this is a movie about a woman who begins craving raw meat, grows a few extra nipples, and wakes up every morning filthy from running around in the dirt all night.
    Joe Reid, Vulture, 9 Sep. 2024
Adjective
  • Flash forward 92-plus years to Donald Trump’s rally Sunday at New York’s Madison Square Garden, a bleak, lurid festival of racist hate and profane vituperation so vile that even fellow Republicans, who have turned a blind eye to Trump’s character for years, are distancing themselves from the event.
    Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 29 Oct. 2024
  • The mass protests, vile sound bites, revolving door to his administration, and constant threats of violence and war have been exhausting.
    Brea Baker, refinery29.com, 24 Oct. 2024
Adjective
  • In the heart of Ethiopia, the arrival of a sprawling industrial park finds a dusty farming town at the new frontier of globalization.
    Matthew Carey, Deadline, 1 Nov. 2024
  • Gold, cream, and dusty rose accents complete the room’s retro look.
    Katie Schultz, Architectural Digest, 31 Oct. 2024
Adjective
  • Carbon emissions would increase because there is a dearth of renewables and the world would have to burn dirtier fossil fuels from non-Western entities.
    Dan Ikenson, Forbes, 4 Nov. 2024
  • Yes, but: Charlie Bailey, a former Fulton County gang prosecutor who ran for lieutenant governor as a Democrat in 2022, told Axios that the RICO law was created to catch leaders of criminal organizations who weren't doing the dirty work.
    Kristal Dixon, Axios, 4 Nov. 2024
Adjective
  • In front of them, there’s a massive number 40 carved deep into a field, creating a dirty, muddy obstacle course.
    Emma Sharpe, Vulture, 13 Nov. 2024
  • Being elevated adds a layer of comfort and peace of mind – no worrying about uneven terrain, muddy ground or things creeping in during the night.
    Fergus Scholes, theweek, 6 Nov. 2024
Adjective
  • The soaring harmonies on the chorus, the nasty edge to the bass line, the way the horns add sizzle to an already piping-hot track; these are all the indelible hallmarks of Jones’ work.
    Elias Leight, Billboard, 4 Nov. 2024
  • New Orleans Saints wide receiver Chris Olave took a nasty hit in their Week 9 game against the Carolina Panthers and was carted off the field.
    David Faris, Newsweek, 4 Nov. 2024
Adjective
  • 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
  • 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
  • McKissic writes that evangelical leaders' acceptance of Trump despite his alleged immoral conduct is hypocritical, contrasting it with their past condemnation of former President Bill Clinton's indiscretions.
    David Faris, Newsweek, 3 Nov. 2024
  • On the left, political scientists have long condemned militarized border controls as immoral, likening them to feudal controls on movement based on birthright.
    Alex Rivera, Los Angeles Times, 1 Nov. 2024

Thesaurus Entries Near sordid

Cite this Entry

“Sordid.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sordid. Accessed 18 Nov. 2024.

More from Merriam-Webster on sordid

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