filthy 1 of 2

Definition of filthynext
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filthy

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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

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
The girl from Santo Domingo’s bajo mundo made her name rapping gleefully filthy dembow in space-punk regalia. E.r. Pulgar, Pitchfork, 16 Apr. 2026 Kilitch Healthcare had serious quality lapses, in which the facility was filthy, employees were barefoot on the manufacturing floor and the company fraudulently passed products that failed sterility tests. C. Michael White, CNN Money, 15 Apr. 2026 Kilitch Healthcare had serious quality lapses, in which the facility was filthy, employees were barefoot on the manufacturing floor and the company fraudulently passed products that failed sterility tests. C. Michael White, The Conversation, 7 Apr. 2026 Common areas are often filthy, and increasingly populated by drug users. ABC News, 3 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for filthy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for filthy
Adjective
  • For instance, the ruling recognized that the government’s need to protect national security might require it to prevent publication of the number and location of troops and that the primary requirements of decency might require censorship of obscene publications.
    Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 29 Apr. 2026
  • Bounds said this gives the mayor the power to intervene when a member of the public engages in obscene speech or in speech intended to incite others in the room.
    Matthew Adams, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 29 Apr. 2026
Adjective
  • The drinks attract younger women, typically age 16 to 35, and are aimed at health-conscious customers that don’t want Swig’s more caloric and filling dirty sodas, CEO Alex Dunn said.
    Jordan Valinsky, CNN Money, 28 Apr. 2026
  • That wasn’t the only utensil stored in a dirty place.
    David J. Neal, Miami Herald, 28 Apr. 2026
Adverb
  • These special releases can be extremely valuable, especially if only a small batch is issued.
    Nina Derwin, Martha Stewart, 30 Apr. 2026
  • The innermost region of any solar system, closest to the parent star, will be extremely hot and subject to large amounts of radiation.
    Big Think, Big Think, 30 Apr. 2026
Adjective
  • The word was considered so vulgar that it was left out of early dictionaries and was rarely printed, though Adams says people were certainly using it.
    Harmeet Kaur, CNN Money, 8 Apr. 2026
  • One day, Dahlstrom made a vulgar joke in a lunchroom referencing oral sex and pubic hair, according to the employee.
    Nick Ferraro, Twin Cities, 4 Apr. 2026
Adjective
  • In 2020, stargazers flocked to dark sky locations to view the cosmic traveler Neowise, a visible comet then 64 million miles from Earth, with a dusty tail extending more than a million miles.
    Ernie Cowan, San Diego Union-Tribune, 26 Apr. 2026
  • The dusty chocolate coating is bitter and unpleasant, and there isn’t enough salt to offset it.
    Alex Beggs, Bon Appetit Magazine, 25 Apr. 2026
Adverb
  • No, that stuff is all incredible and very much the result of good fortune in my career.
    Charles Bethea, New Yorker, 26 Apr. 2026
  • What a treat to have both of these very different revivals opening on Broadway in a matter of days.
    Chris Jones, New York Daily News, 26 Apr. 2026
Adjective
  • Swift’s likeness has been used without permission in numerous AI fakes, including by Meta’s AI chatbots and in pornographic images that have circulated on the internet.
    Todd Spangler, Variety, 27 Apr. 2026
  • This material included thousands of pornographic deepfakes that Kamnik had generated using AI tools.
    Nate Anderson, ArsTechnica, 9 Apr. 2026
Adjective
  • Gayle Wilson, who once worked as a blackjack dealer, enjoyed sewing and making stained glass, according to Lindley Funeral Homes.
    David K. Li, NBC news, 29 Apr. 2026
  • Gently scrub the stained area with a soft bristle brush or clean soft cloth.
    Daley Quinn, Southern Living, 23 Apr. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Filthy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/filthy. Accessed 1 May. 2026.

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