dirty 1 of 3

adjective

ˈdər-tē How to pronounce dirty (audio)
Definition of dirtynext
1
as in filthy
not clean after working in the factory all day, his clothes are very dirty

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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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dirty

2 of 3

verb

as in to stain
to make dirty she dirtied her new sneakers when she splashed in the puddle

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dirty

3 of 3

adverb

as in illegally

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Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective dirty differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of dirty are filthy, foul, nasty, and squalid. While all these words mean "conspicuously unclean or impure," dirty emphasizes the presence of dirt more than an emotional reaction to it or, figuratively, stresses meanness or despicableness.

a dirty littered street
don't ask me to do your dirty work

When is it sensible to use filthy instead of dirty?

The words filthy and dirty are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, filthy carries a strong suggestion of offensiveness and typically of gradually accumulated dirt that begrimes and besmears. Figuratively, it can also describe disgusting obscenity.

a stained greasy floor, utterly filthy
filthy street language

When could foul be used to replace dirty?

The meanings of foul and dirty largely overlap; however, foul implies extreme offensiveness and an accumulation of what is rotten or stinking; it can also describe, for example, loathsome behavior.

a foul-smelling open sewer
a foul story of lust and greed

How does the word nasty relate to other synonyms for dirty?

Nasty applies to what is actually foul or is repugnant to one expecting freshness, cleanliness, or sweetness; in practice, however, nasty is often weakened to the point of being no more than a synonym of unpleasant or disagreeable. When used figuratively, nasty implies a peculiarly offensive unpleasantness.

it's a nasty job to clean up after a sick cat
had a nasty fall
his answer gave her a nasty shock
a stand-up comedian known for nasty humor

Where would squalid be a reasonable alternative to dirty?

While the synonyms squalid and dirty are close in meaning, squalid adds to the idea of dirtiness and filth that of slovenly neglect. Distinctively, its figurative use implies sordidness as well as baseness and dirtiness.

squalid slums
engaged in a series of squalid affairs

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of dirty
Adjective
Our feet would get dirty on the walk back from our nightly bath in the creek. — Tereza Shkurtaj, PEOPLE, 9 Aug. 2026 An espresso shot will take closer to a minute and a more involved drink like an iced dirty matcha takes about three minutes. — Sean Krofssik, Hartford Courant, 7 Aug. 2026
Verb
The adventurous actress dirties up her frock and face to play the village pariah, who reeks of fish and would be no man’s idea of a suitable wife, except perhaps the one-eyed bum who sleeps in the town square. — Peter Debruge, Variety, 26 Jan. 2026 When stormwater dirtied by road runoff, failing septic tanks and fertilizer sullied crystal-clear rivers and lakes, and nobody cared. — Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board, The Orlando Sentinel, 11 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for dirty
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dirty
  1. filthy
  2. obscene
  3. turbulent
  4. foul
  5. nasty
  6. cheap
  7. corruptible
  8. stain
Adjective
  • Few things at airports irritate customers like filthy toilets or water on the restroom floor.
    — Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 8 Aug. 2026
  • His greatest series let people see a character who has revealed the filthiest, most shameful parts of themselves, and imagine them as a mirror.
    — CT Jones, Rolling Stone, 8 Aug. 2026
Definition of filthy
Adjective
  • Climate Pledge Arena prohibits abusive or obscene language and says violators may be ejected.
    — Jackson Thompson OutKick, FOXNews.com, 30 July 2026
  • These stories were reprinted in Scottish and English botanical texts, and Henrietta would have known about the obscene ideas connected with the mushroom.
    — Leah Hudson, Popular Science, 9 July 2026
Definition of obscene
Adjective
  • Armed with an arsenal of tools – from DIY inventions to GPS trackers to drones – Daniel scours the turbulent Vistula River on an all-consuming search, desperate for answers.
    — Leo Barraclough, Variety, 12 Aug. 2026
  • But the fund, overwhelmingly comprised of equities, saw a turbulent first six months of the year.
    — Chloe Taylor, CNBC, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of turbulent
Adjective
  • On the floor were six cots and a couple of mattresses, stained and foul-smelling.
    — Joshua Yaffa, New Yorker, 10 Aug. 2026
  • Murakami's lofted his team-leading 26th homer off the left-field foul pole off Williams with one out in the sixth, cutting it to 2-1.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 9 Aug. 2026
Definition of foul
Adjective
  • Her boyfriend is nasty Sebastiano’s older soldier son Michelangelo (Lorenzo Richelmy), a true chip off the old block.
    — Jay Weissberg, Variety, 12 Aug. 2026
  • Beyond those obvious impediments, Elkins was coming off a nasty stoppage loss in his previous fight against Julian Erosa at UFC 314 in April 2025.
    — Brian Mazique, Forbes.com, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of nasty
Adjective
  • Culturelle probiotics tend to be cheaper than Align products and are ideal for those with frequent diarrhea.
    — BestReviews, Chicago Tribune, 14 Aug. 2026
  • Birmingham26, the organisers, say that half of their 250,000 tickets — across morning and evening sessions — are £30 or cheaper.
    — Liam Tharme, New York Times, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of cheap
Adjective
  • Trump has tried to curtail mail-in voting by arguing the ballots easily corruptible, despite casting a ballot by mail himself in March.
    — Maureen Groppe, USA Today, 29 June 2026
  • Beef’s whole thing is finding the weak, corruptible center of all its characters, and Isaac jumps into that project with enthusiasm.
    — Joe Reid, Vulture, 2 May 2026
Definition of corruptible
Verb
  • Incomplete, broken, and damaged or stained items and clothing should be thrown out.
    — The Spruce, The Spruce, 11 Aug. 2026
  • On the floor were six cots and a couple of mattresses, stained and foul-smelling.
    — Joshua Yaffa, New Yorker, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of stain

Phrases Containing dirty

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dirt-poor
dirty
dirtying
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Cite this Entry

“Dirty.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dirty. Accessed 17 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on dirty

Nglish: Translation of dirty for Spanish Speakers

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