as in filthy
not clean
get rid of that grotty old rag
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Recent Examples of grotty
The show, which chronicled two spiraling roommates in a grotty London flat who invariably do exactly the wrong thing, is not for the faint of heart.
—
Natasha Frost, New York Times, 21 Mar. 2025
The assault took place on the grottiest of vessels, manned by violent criminals who had been banished into deep space.
—Justin Chang, The New Yorker, 28 Feb. 2025
In a stark contrast to its predecessor, the pop star’s EP tracks chronicled the sordid and grotty bits of celebrity.
—Charisma Madarang, Rolling Stone, 19 Feb. 2025
Bloober has translated the past as one might a literary classic, illuminating and modernizing the grottiest game to ever grace the PlayStation 2.
—Lewis Gordon, Vulture, 9 Oct. 2024
If Kline’s filmmaking seems to wear its grotty realism on its sleeve, his plotting has a shambling, anything-goes playfulness.
—Justin Chang, Los Angeles Times, 25 Aug. 2022
The closest match to the Grand Old Opry is Magic City, the famed strip club at the grotty end of south downtown.
—George Chidi, Rolling Stone, 8 Sep. 2022
The film is the story of Robert (Daniel Zolghadri), who wants to reject the suburban comforts of his upbringing for a grotty world as an aspiring underground cartoonist.
—Mark Olsen, Los Angeles Times, 26 Aug. 2022
To impress her office crush Colin (Dylan O’Brien), a callow pothead-turned-globe-trotting influencer with a grotty Pete Davidson-esque charisma, Danni concocts a phony invitation to a writers retreat in Paris.
—Amy Nicholson, Variety, 20 July 2022
Natasha Frost, New York Times, 21 Mar. 2025
The assault took place on the grottiest of vessels, manned by violent criminals who had been banished into deep space.
—Justin Chang, The New Yorker, 28 Feb. 2025
In a stark contrast to its predecessor, the pop star’s EP tracks chronicled the sordid and grotty bits of celebrity.
—Charisma Madarang, Rolling Stone, 19 Feb. 2025
Bloober has translated the past as one might a literary classic, illuminating and modernizing the grottiest game to ever grace the PlayStation 2.
—Lewis Gordon, Vulture, 9 Oct. 2024
If Kline’s filmmaking seems to wear its grotty realism on its sleeve, his plotting has a shambling, anything-goes playfulness.
—Justin Chang, Los Angeles Times, 25 Aug. 2022
The closest match to the Grand Old Opry is Magic City, the famed strip club at the grotty end of south downtown.
—George Chidi, Rolling Stone, 8 Sep. 2022
The film is the story of Robert (Daniel Zolghadri), who wants to reject the suburban comforts of his upbringing for a grotty world as an aspiring underground cartoonist.
—Mark Olsen, Los Angeles Times, 26 Aug. 2022
To impress her office crush Colin (Dylan O’Brien), a callow pothead-turned-globe-trotting influencer with a grotty Pete Davidson-esque charisma, Danni concocts a phony invitation to a writers retreat in Paris.
—Amy Nicholson, Variety, 20 July 2022
Recent Examples of Synonyms for grotty
Adjective
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Chicagoans will have no one to hold accountable at the ballot box when the buses don’t arrive and rail stations are filthy and crime-ridden.—
Forrest Claypool,
Chicago Tribune,
14 Mar. 2025
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The plastic waste China received was filthy, much of it too dirty to be cleaned, shredded, and turned into new plastic.—
Scott W. Stern,
The Atlantic,
10 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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On the outskirts of Lima, Peru, locals stumbled upon some dusty items in a vacant lot.—
Aspen Pflughoeft,
Miami Herald,
9 Apr. 2025
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Meanwhile, Andrea Taylor, owner of Andrea Marino Design in Dallas, Texas, has noticed an uptick in mauve, dusty blue, and butter yellow fabrics.—
Quincy Bulin,
Southern Living,
8 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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The Ukrainian marine corps’ 34th, 39th and 40th Coastal Defense Brigades—new units largely equipped with light vehicles that are suitable for operations on muddy terrain—anchor Ukrainian defenses in Kherson.—
David Axe,
Forbes.com,
9 Apr. 2025
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Ask any gardener: Gardening shoes are a must for messy, wet, or muddy tasks in flower beds, chicken coops, vegetable gardens, or anywhere else your everyday shoes don’t stand a chance.—
Miles Walls,
Better Homes & Gardens,
4 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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In its time open, fueled by fans of its blackened mahi and buttery lobster rolls, owner Mike Smith has expanded his footprint, moving into a larger stall in the popular food hall — which has allowed for a menu expansion, as well.—
Amy Drew Thompson,
Orlando Sentinel,
6 Dec. 2022
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There are no glamorous furnishings — just a French window, its blackened panes suggesting the dark of night.—
Christopher Knight,
Los Angeles Times,
26 Oct. 2022
Adjective
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The scene will portray oil workers getting in their trucks and heading to work, thus a dirty vehicle is a must.—
Brayden Garcia,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
2 Apr. 2025
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To understand the increasing flow of dirty stormwater into the system, Miami Waterkeeper and Miami-Dade County put together an audit of the stormwater systems among different municipalities in 2022.—
Courtney Heath,
Miami Herald,
1 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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His other performances included as Robert De Niro’s nasty henchman in Michael Mann’s Heat (1995); as Marlon Brando’s insane assistant in John Frankenheimer’s The Island of Dr. Moreau (1996) and as the suave crook Simon Templar in Phillip Noyce’s The Saint (1997).—
Etan Vlessing,
HollywoodReporter,
2 Apr. 2025
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The veteran forward took a nasty fall with 3:21 left in the fourth quarter, landed hard on his tailbone, and spent minutes down on the court surrounded by teammates and coaches.—
C.J. Holmes,
New York Daily News,
30 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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Opt for the classic walnut or this contemporary black hue.—
Yelena Moroz Alpert,
Architectural Digest,
8 Apr. 2025
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The Glasses’ collection features three color stories, neutral tones inspired by the siblings’ homeland; the red and black hues recalling Navajo dyeing techniques, and indigo.—
Luisa Zargani,
Footwear News,
8 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Grotty.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/grotty. Accessed 16 Apr. 2025.
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