Word.ws English Dictionary

Synonyms of dirty

120 similar words · 19 opposite words

Another word for dirty is nasty. Other synonyms of dirty are foul, filthy, unclean, grubby and squalid. The opposite of dirty is immaculate.

Synonyms and similar words for dirty

adjectiveUnclean; covered with or containing unpleasant substances such as dirt or grime.

  • filthyCovered with filth; very dirty.
  • soiledDirty, defiled, stained.
  • sordidDirty or squalid.
  • uncleanDirty, soiled or foul.
  • unwashed
  • blackFoul; dirty, soiled.
  • befouled
  • besmirched
  • clartySticky and foul; dirty, filthy, muddy.
  • cruddy slangFull of crud.
  • dirtsomeMarked by dirtiness or by being dirty.
  • foulCovered with, or containing unclean matter; dirty.
  • grotty UK, slangUnpleasant, dirty, slovenly or offensive.
  • grubbyDirty, unwashed, unclean.
  • horryImpure; unclean; disgustingly dirty; foul.
  • icky informal
  • lousyDirty or untidy.
  • manky UK, slangUnpleasantly dirty and disgusting.
  • nastyDirty, filthy.
  • seamy
  • squalidExtremely dirty and unpleasant.
  • sullied
  • yucky informalOf something highly offensive; causing aversion or disgust.

adjectiveMorally unclean; obscene or indecent, especially sexually.

adjectiveDishonorable; violating accepted standards or rules.

adjectiveCorrupt, illegal, or improper.

adjectiveOf color, discolored by impurities.

  • dingyShabby, squalid, uncared-for.
  • dullishSomewhat dull; dull to a degree.
  • muddiedHaving been made unclear, obfuscated.
  • muddyDirty, filthy.

adverbIn a dirty manner.

verbTo make (something) dirty.

verbTo stain or tarnish (somebody) with dishonor.

  • dishonour
  • slanderTo utter a slanderous statement about; baselessly speak ill of; to wrong.
  • assassinate figurativelyTo harm, ruin, or defame severely or destroy by treachery, slander, libel, or obscure attack.
  • asperseTo falsely or maliciously charge someone.
  • backbiteTo make spiteful slanderous or defamatory statements about someone.
  • badmouthTo criticize or malign, especially unfairly or spitefully.
  • befoul figurativelyTo make foul; to soil; to contaminate, pollute.
  • besmirchTo make dirty.
  • besmearTo smear over, to smear all over, to daub.
  • blackenTo make dirty.
  • blazeTo disclose; bewray; defame.
  • blemishTo tarnish (reputation, character, etc.); to defame.
  • blotTo impair; to damage; to mar; to soil.
  • blurTo smear, stain or smudge.
  • calumniateTo levy a false charge against, especially of a vague offense, with the intent to damage someone's reputation or...
  • calumnyTo make false accusations or levy false charges against a person with the intent to tarnish that person's reputation or...
  • chat shit slang, vulgarTo untruthfully speak of another in a belittling, deprecative, slighting manner, either in person or in absentia.
  • chat shite Ireland, UK
  • cloudTo blacken; to sully; to stain; to tarnish (reputation or character).
  • defame
  • demonize figurativelyTo describe or represent as evil or diabolic, usually falsely.
  • denigrateTo criticize so as to besmirch; traduce, disparage or defame.
  • depraveTo speak ill of; to depreciate; to malign; to revile.
  • depreciateTo lessen in price or estimated value; to lower the worth of.
  • detractTo take credit or reputation from; to derogate; to defame or decry.
  • discredit
  • disgraceTo put someone or something out of favor; to bring shame or ignominy upon.
  • disparage
  • disreputeTo bring into disrepute; to hold in dishonor.
  • diss slangTo put (someone) down, or show disrespect by the use of insulting language or dismissive behaviour.
  • drag through the mudTo tarnish or spoil enough so that something or someone is no longer respectable.
  • infamizeTo make infamous; to defame or smear.
  • lampoonTo satirize or poke fun at.
  • libelTo defame (someone), especially in a manner that meets the legal definition of libel.
  • malignTo make defamatory statements about; to slander or traduce.
  • monsterizeTo give someone a very bad reputation; demonize, vilify.
  • reproachTo disgrace, or bring shame upon.
  • revileTo attack (someone) with abusive language.
  • shit-talk slang, vulgar
  • slag UK, slangTo talk badly about; to malign or denigrate (someone).
  • smearTo make something dirty.
  • spotTo stain; to leave a spot (on).
  • speak ill ofTo vilify; to defame; to criticize.
  • stab figurativelyTo injure secretly or by malicious falsehood or slander.
  • stainTo discolor, as by spilling or other contact with a fluid or substance.
  • talk shit slang, vulgarTo untruthfully speak of another in a belittling, deprecative, slighting manner, either in person or in absentia.
  • talk shite UK, slangTo talk badly about something.
  • talk trash US, slangTo untruthfully speak of another in a belittling, deprecative, slighting manner, either in person or in absentia.
  • tarnishTo compromise, damage, soil, or sully.
  • torch figurativelyTo make damaging claims about (someone or something); to ruin the reputation of (someone or something); to disparage...
  • traduceTo malign a person or entity by making malicious and false or defamatory statements.
  • trash-talk US, slangTo insult a rival in a disparaging way.
  • unflatterTo show or display in a bad light; to portray unfavorably.
  • vilifyTo say defamatory things about someone or something; to speak ill of.
  • villainizeTo represent as a villain.
  • wrongTo slander; to impute evil to unjustly.
  • belibel datedTo libel, slander, calumniate.
  • bewray archaicTo accuse; malign; speak evil of.
  • blame obsoleteTo bring into disrepute.
  • forgab obsoleteTo mock; deride; defame; publish the misdeeds of.
  • forspeak obsoleteTo say bad things about; to slander.
  • scandal obsoleteTo defame; to slander.
  • smirch archaic, figurativelyTo dirty; to make dirty.
  • spatter figuratively, obsoleteTo injure by aspersion; to defame.
  • vilipend dated, formalTo express a disparaging opinion of; to slander or vilify.

verbTo debase by distorting the real nature of (something).

  • avileTo abase or debase; to vilify; to depreciate.
  • degradeTo lower in value or social position.
  • devalueTo lower or remove the value of something.
  • abaseTo lower in value, in particular by altering the content of alloys in coins; to debase.
  • debase
  • debauchTo debase (something); to lower the value of (something).

Opposite of dirty

adjectiveUnclean; covered with or containing unpleasant substances such as dirt or grime.

adjectiveDishonorable; violating accepted standards or rules.

  • sportsmanlikeDemonstrating good sportsmanship, behaving in an honorable and appropriate manner.

adjectiveOf color, discolored by impurities.

  • bright
  • pureFree of flaws or imperfections; unsullied.

adjectiveOf an alcoholic beverage, especially a cocktail or mixed drink: served with the juice of olives.

verbMore antonyms

  • make clean

Meaning of dirty

  1. adjective Unclean; covered with or containing unpleasant substances such as dirt or grime.
  2. adjective That makes one unclean; corrupting, infecting.
  3. adjective Morally unclean; obscene or indecent, especially sexually.

Full definition of dirty

dirty in other languages

Questions about synonyms of dirty

What is another word for dirty?
Dirty has 120 synonyms on Word.ws, such as nasty, foul, filthy, unclean, grubby, squalid, sordid and black.
What is the opposite of dirty?
The opposite of dirty is immaculate. Other antonyms of dirty are pristine, clean, unsullied and spick-and-span.
What does dirty mean?
Dirty means unclean; covered with or containing unpleasant substances such as dirt or grime.

Source and license

Adapted from Wiktionary: dirty (page history and authors) and the entries of the words listed. Text available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 license. Word.ws grouped the synonyms and antonyms by meaning and added links. Wiktionary data of 2026-09-02.

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Cite this page: “Synonyms of dirty.” Word.ws, https://word.ws/synonyms/dirty. Based on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.