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adverb

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective filthy differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of filthy are dirty, foul, nasty, and squalid. While all these words mean "conspicuously unclean or impure," 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 might dirty be a better fit than filthy?

In some situations, the words dirty and filthy are roughly equivalent. However, 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 would foul be a good substitute for filthy?

The words foul and filthy are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, 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 is nasty related to other words for filthy?

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

In what contexts can squalid take the place of filthy?

The synonyms squalid and filthy are sometimes interchangeable, but 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 filthy
Adjective
Between sweat, body oils, dust, dirt, hair, and grime, yoga mats, weights, and treadmills can get pretty filthy. Maria Sabella, Better Homes & Gardens, 11 Feb. 2025 This was to help end the puppy mill industry, where dogs are bred en masse, leading them to be born and raised in filthy and neglected conditions. Andrew Sheeler, Sacramento Bee, 12 Feb. 2025 The boys all came home, filthy and with unbrushed teeth. Marla Jo Fisher, Orange County Register, 5 Feb. 2025 Her tragic ordeal began early on Oct. 7, 2023, witnessing the murder of her parents, followed by being taken hostage as an orphan, silenced, and held in dark, filthy rooms in Gaza with no food, water, or hygiene. Yaakov Katz, Newsweek, 16 Jan. 2025 See All Example Sentences for filthy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for filthy
Adjective
  • According to the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), individuals may not block access to sidewalks or buildings, disrupt counterprotests, or engage in speech that is obscene, makes knowingly false statements of fact, or incites immediate violence or dangerous disturbances.
    Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 5 Mar. 2025
  • There is absolutely nothing in libraries across the state that is obscene.
    Laura Tillman, Hartford Courant, 27 Feb. 2025
Adjective
  • Every Look from the 2025 Oscars Red Carpet By Vogue Based on Court of Honor, William P. Wood’s 1991 legal thriller, this Turner Network Television original movie finds Tom Selleck playing a municipal judge who pitches in to help with a government sting operation focused on nailing a dirty judge.
    Nell Beram, Vogue, 8 Mar. 2025
  • More likely, a veteran like Hill or Ford or any number of others — guys who have played a lot and know how to get the dirty work done — could fit.
    Parker Gabriel, The Denver Post, 7 Mar. 2025
Adverb
  • The calming mix of colloidal oatmeal, beta-glucan (a skin repairing molecule that smooths rough skin), and glycerin is extremely gentle and more than suitable for sensitive skin, too.
    Mary Honkus, Glamour, 15 Mar. 2025
  • There was a lot of extremely negative feedback and people would not hold back.
    Angel Saunders, People.com, 15 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • There is a ring on my finger that, to quote Rhett Butler, is the biggest and most vulgar ring in Atlanta (Maine), and a six-course, all-cheese dinner is awaiting us afterward.
    Christine Murphy, People.com, 5 Mar. 2025
  • This goes double for vulgar and hateful content, which is a growing problem across social media.
    Ella Cerón, Parents, 27 Feb. 2025
Adjective
  • Its head is outfitted with LED lights that illuminate dark, dusty areas.
    Isabel Garcia, People.com, 16 Mar. 2025
  • For a piece in this week’s issue, Helfand speaks with all parties involved, and even visits Elvis in his current resting place, amid dusty knickknacks and towering piles of junk in an office behind a mechanic’s garage.
    Hannah Jocelyn, The New Yorker, 14 Mar. 2025
Adverb
  • After narrowly surviving the very injured Los Angeles Lakers on Friday night, 131-126, the Denver Nuggets are slated to square off against the lowly Washington Wizards on the second night of a back-to-back tilt.
    Mark Davis, Newsweek, 16 Mar. 2025
  • That should cover plenty of Soto at-bats, which are very entertaining.
    Bob Raissman, New York Daily News, 15 Mar. 2025
Adverb
  • In addition to the scholarship, the students have also been invited to attend the Coca-Cola Scholars Weekend in Atlanta, April 3-6. Canyon Crest Academy is the only school in the country to have three students selected for the honor—and each is incredibly accomplished.
    Karen Billing, San Diego Union-Tribune, 9 Mar. 2025
  • Even if the projection is off by a wide margin, the cost to run a furnace in 2045 is going to be incredibly high compared with a heat pump.
    Ben Roush, Baltimore Sun, 9 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • And then, to top a nasty joke with a nastier one, he was deemed useless for the final twenty years of his life.
    Jackson Arn, The New Yorker, 10 Mar. 2025
  • That jab opened up several nasty cuts around Rountree's eye and on the bridge of his nose.
    Trent Reinsmith, Forbes, 8 Mar. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Filthy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/filthy. Accessed 23 Mar. 2025.

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