1
as in filthy
severely lacking in cleanliness
The squalid boarding house was overrun with rats.
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in vile
not moral or honest
The whole squalid affair will rightly end the politician's public career.
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of squalid
Many January 6 defendants have protested inhumane prison conditions, including physical abuse, retaliation, and deprivation of food and heat, in a squalid D.C. jail from which several hundred were relocated after a U.S. Marshals Service investigation.
—
Paul Du Quenoy, Newsweek, 7 Jan. 2025
Hundreds of thousands are crammed into squalid tent camps with dwindling food after Israel sealed off the territory from all imports more than a month ago.
—Isaac Scharf, Los Angeles Times, 16 Apr. 2025
After seeing an investigative report on the squalid conditions at the Willowbrook State School, Lennon and Ono decided to headline the One to One concerts: two benefit shows at Madison Square Garden to support individual (one-to-one) care for the children.
—Jon Pareles, New York Times, 8 Apr. 2025
The pictures depict a squalid living space, with junk strewn across furniture and floors throughout the home.
—Joseph Wilkinson, New York Daily News, 1 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for squalid
Paul Du Quenoy, Newsweek, 7 Jan. 2025
Hundreds of thousands are crammed into squalid tent camps with dwindling food after Israel sealed off the territory from all imports more than a month ago.
—Isaac Scharf, Los Angeles Times, 16 Apr. 2025
After seeing an investigative report on the squalid conditions at the Willowbrook State School, Lennon and Ono decided to headline the One to One concerts: two benefit shows at Madison Square Garden to support individual (one-to-one) care for the children.
—Jon Pareles, New York Times, 8 Apr. 2025
The pictures depict a squalid living space, with junk strewn across furniture and floors throughout the home.
—Joseph Wilkinson, New York Daily News, 1 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for squalid
Recent Examples of Synonyms for squalid
Adjective
-
After being fired from SNL, Silverman scored a part playing a misunderstood filthy comedy writer on The Larry Sanders Show, Shandling’s classic send-up of the talk-show game.—
Stephen Rodrick,
Rolling Stone,
18 May 2025
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Who doesn’t rinse out (and ideally wash) a filthy blender filled with milky stuff?—
Erik Kain,
Forbes.com,
7 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Finally, the mint julep is a vile almost undrinkable beverage.—
John Cherwa,
Los Angeles Times,
3 May 2025
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Along with receiving vulgar comments in person and people taking her picture on campus, the 18-year-old has received vile and sexist messages after her phone number was posted online.—
David Chiu,
People.com,
1 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Flying by the active asteroid could show exactly what processes are creating the dusty tails streaming from the object and might reveal possibilities scientists haven’t even considered, Kareta said.—
Ashley Strickland,
CNN Money,
28 May 2025
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The dry, dusty air can weaken or block hurricane formation.—
Anna Skinner,
MSNBC Newsweek,
27 May 2025
Adjective
-
The pitiful performance by the Texas Rangers against the Toronto Blue Jays in the 2016 divisional round.—
Mac Engel,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
30 May 2025
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But the rates were pitiful: $9.87 for a 13-mile trip, $19.97 for a 25-mile trip and so on.—
Eli Tan,
New York Times,
14 May 2025
Adjective
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So Far The game’s two trailers poke fun at many Florida-isms with insane characters like the dual hammer-wielding woman, a sunburned man watering his lawn in a speedo, and spring breakers and locals partying heavily by posh pools and muddy monster truck rallies.—
Christopher Cruz,
Rolling Stone,
26 May 2025
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The ports had to invent themselves in the first place, out of muddy marshes and shallows, to become the present-day enterprises doing billions of dollars of business and compete and partner with the massive Asian container ports across the Pacific.—
Patt Morrison,
Los Angeles Times,
24 May 2025
Adjective
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At the time, some of LeBron’s critics saw this as contemptible.—
Ross Andersen,
The Atlantic,
16 Mar. 2025
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Civil-liberties organizations have defended neo-Nazis and the Ku Klux Klan on the basis that, unless there is free speech for the most contemptible members of society, there cannot be free speech for all.—
Jay Caspian Kang,
The New Yorker,
14 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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Martin Kove as John Kreese Martin Kove played John Kreese, Johnny's karate mentor, who encourages his students to play dirty and harass Daniel.—
Keith Langston,
People.com,
1 June 2025
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The infant was scheduled to be cremated, according to the release, but the body was accidentally taken to Shreveport with a load of dirty linens.—
Harriet Ramos,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
30 May 2025
Adjective
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But unfortunately, that also means Big Mouth, the cartoon about all the disgusting, messy parts of growing up from Nick Kroll, must also conclude as well.—
Lucy Ford,
Time,
19 May 2025
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Victorian Ladies at Lunch In a beautiful regency-era setting, four women eat disgusting foods.—
Rosa Escandon,
Forbes.com,
18 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Squalid.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/squalid. Accessed 4 Jun. 2025.
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