1
as in filthy
not clean
after working in the factory all day, his clothes are very dirty
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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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as in to stain
to make dirty
she dirtied her new sneakers when she splashed in the puddle
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in illegally
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Dissimilar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Recent Examples of dirty
Cheryl V. Jackson, The Courier-Journal, 16 Sep. 2024
The campaign gained intensity when photos circulated on the Internet of Ya Ya looking dirty and gaunt (by panda standards) with patchy fur.
—Ashraf Khalil and Didi Tang, The Christian Science Monitor, 3 Oct. 2023
Sophie Hartley, IndyStar, 9 Sep. 2025
Speaking about forgetting a line onstage as Kenickie in the original cast of Grease, and André De Shields, a Tony Award winner for Hadestown, telling a dirty anecdote about auditioning for The Full Monty, a show in which the actors do a striptease.
—Caitlin Huston, HollywoodReporter, 9 Sep. 2025
Sarah Felbin, SELF, 23 May 2025
Crème Brûlée Steve Granitz Crème brûlée is like butter blonde, but dirtied up a bit for a browned, warm tint.
—Audrey Noble, Vogue, 2 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for dirty
Adjective
Sonic Drive-In began offering the option to make its drinks dirty by adding coconut cream and lime for an additional charge.
—Cheryl V. Jackson, The Courier-Journal, 16 Sep. 2024
The campaign gained intensity when photos circulated on the Internet of Ya Ya looking dirty and gaunt (by panda standards) with patchy fur.
—Ashraf Khalil and Didi Tang, The Christian Science Monitor, 3 Oct. 2023
Verb
Candice and Glenn sent Parker and Madison to wash off their swamp smell, then did the dirty work of prepping and skinning the frogs.
—Sophie Hartley, IndyStar, 9 Sep. 2025
Speaking about forgetting a line onstage as Kenickie in the original cast of Grease, and André De Shields, a Tony Award winner for Hadestown, telling a dirty anecdote about auditioning for The Full Monty, a show in which the actors do a striptease.
—Caitlin Huston, HollywoodReporter, 9 Sep. 2025
Adverb
And for nights when you can't be bothered to dirty a million dishes just to get dinner on the table, there's an air fryer from Ninja.
—Sarah Felbin, SELF, 23 May 2025
Crème Brûlée Steve Granitz Crème brûlée is like butter blonde, but dirtied up a bit for a browned, warm tint.
—Audrey Noble, Vogue, 2 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for dirty
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dirty
Adjective
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Or find a less filthy campmate.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
7 Sep. 2025
-
Away from a filthy Superdome and Convention Center where they had been holed up for days.—
Suzette Hackney,
USA Today,
5 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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The couple quickly began receiving death threats and obscene phone calls.—
Johnny Dodd,
PEOPLE,
6 Sep. 2025
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Banners or signs may not be commercial in nature or obscene, or cause any disturbance to other fans.—
Ed Masley,
AZCentral.com,
2 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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That's up 16% from 512,000 savers who broke into seven digits on their 401(k) statements in the first quarter's turbulent market.—
Susan Tompor,
USA Today,
10 Sep. 2025
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The verdict was the final of three judgements against the powerful Shinawatra family, which has dominated Thailand’s turbulent and often violent political scene for more than 20 years.—
Helen Regan,
CNN Money,
9 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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The cards’ robust stainless-steel construction can withstand extreme handling like drops, foul weather and almost any other element that happens to come along.—
Mark Sparrow,
Forbes.com,
8 Sep. 2025
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Their journey takes a detour when her mom turns out to be a foul-mouthed truck driver, launching the trio into a cross-country odyssey filled with eccentric encounters, outrageous mishaps, and unexpected emotional revelations.—
Matt Grobar,
Deadline,
8 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Sean Gardner/Getty Images This comes just weeks after Zilisch suffered a nasty fall from his car in Victory Lane at Watkins Glen, which resulted in a broken collarbone.—
Lydia Mee,
MSNBC Newsweek,
7 Sep. 2025
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Parents pushing, people cutting lines, nasty attitudes everywhere, especially outside and in Sephora.—
Toria Sheffield,
PEOPLE,
6 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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The efficiency and immediacy of space medicine may well influence healthcare innovation far beyond orbit, inspiring systems that are faster, cheaper, and more accessible.—
Bernard Marr,
Forbes.com,
12 Sep. 2025
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But because the signals are so faint, they can be drowned out by cheap jammers or replaced by counterfeit ones.—
Kapil Kajal,
Interesting Engineering,
11 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Iran prefers weak allies over strong ones, and corrupt and corruptible governments over ones that respond to their citizens’ needs.—
Graeme Wood,
The Atlantic,
2 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Any home cleaning product can cause staining and shrinking.—
Mary Marlowe Leverette,
Southern Living,
6 Sep. 2025
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Address any spills in your sink right away to reduce the opportunity for staining.—
BestReviews,
Chicago Tribune,
5 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Dirty.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dirty. Accessed 13 Sep. 2025.
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