grubby

1 of 2

adjective

grub·​by ˈgrə-bē 

grubbier; grubbiest

1

: infested with fly maggots

2

a

: dirty, grimy

grubby hands

a grubby garage

b

: slovenly, sloppy

… her grubby and disheveled condition …

—P. G. Wodehouse

3

: worthy of contempt : base

grubby political motives

… became involved in grubby squabbles over money …

—Clive Gammon

grubbily

ˈgrə-bə-lē 

adverb

grubbiness

ˈgrə-bē-nəs 

noun

grubbiness

2 of 2

noun

grub·​bi·​ness -bēnə̇s 

-bin-

plural -es

: the state of being grubby:

a

: the condition of being dirty, grimy, or slovenly : grubby look

her occasional appearances in bare feet and her general look of grubbiness

—Life

b

: sordidness, meanness

the grubbiness of being poor

—Willa Cather

Synonyms of grubby

Adjective

• filthy
• dusty
• stained
• dirty
• blackened
• muddy
• black

Examples of grubby in a Sentence

Adjective

He lives in a grubby little apartment.

clean off those grubby hands before you touch anything

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

One named Jackie marvels at nothing in particular on a grubby London street. — Lauren Jackson, New York Times, 4 Oct. 2026

First arriving as a major player on the political scene in 2024, Big Crypto—led by firms like Coinbase and Ripple—has immersed itself in all the grubby ways of Washington. — Jeff John Roberts, Fortune, 28 Sep. 2026

Their work here evokes the grubby, pixellated textures and the seedy-dreamy ambience of a bygone trash-TV era. — Justin Chang, New Yorker, 25 Sep. 2026

Avoid using it on wool or silk; this detergent alternative works best on cotton, towels, or grubby work clothes. — Caroline Lubinsky, Martha Stewart, 1 Sep. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1725, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for grubby

• chubby
• cubby
• hubby
• scrubby
• shrubby
• stubby
• tubby

Kids Definition

grubby

adjective

grub·​by ˈgrəb-ē 

grubbier; grubbiest

: dirty entry 1 sense 1, slovenly

grubbily

ˈgrəb-ə-lē 

adverb

grubbiness

ˈgrəb-ē-nəs 

noun