GROTTY Synonyms: 112 Similar and Opposite Words

grotty

adjective

ˈgrä-tē

Definition of grotty

chiefly British

as in filthy

not clean get rid of that grotty old rag

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 grotty Up until this point, Clive had made peace with frequenting London’s comedy clubs and grotty basements. — Lily Ford, HollywoodReporter, 10 May 2026 The grotty tenements of the Lower East Side — and the distinct fashion within — is as much of a character in A24’s drama as the eponymous ping pong player himself. — Anna Tingley, Variety, 27 Dec. 2025 Conners in the just-grotty-enough camp classic Showgirls; or Pamela The Last Showgirl Anderson. — Raven Smith, Vogue, 14 Aug. 2025 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

Recent Examples of Synonyms for grotty

Adjective

Park advocates have long argued that the existing city allocation is inadequate, leaving neighborhoods with decaying recreation centers, deteriorating swimming pools and filthy park bathrooms.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 1 Oct. 2026
Raman has promised to speed up housing construction, bring back entertainment industry jobs and improve services in a city known for filthy streets, gridlock and an unresponsive City Hall.

— ABC News, ABC News, 29 Sep. 2026

Definition of filthy

Adjective

Most mega-bestsellers of eras past are forgotten, and even the award winners that make their way into academic syllabi fade into dusty bibliography.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 7 Oct. 2026
This promo includes the very plush Russell storage bed in a bewitching dusty lilac velvet.

— Yelena Moroz Alpert, Architectural Digest, 6 Oct. 2026

Definition of dusty

Adjective

Set your iron to its lowest setting—no steam—and place the stained area between two paper towels or lint-free cloths.

— Alexandra Emanuelli, Southern Living, 26 Sep. 2026
Pushing those briars aside revealed a single splinter of stained glass, bright as a ruby and warm as blood.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 22 Sep. 2026

Definition of stained

Adjective

At first the owner stared at him blankly, then flashed a look of distaste, as if a dirty rodent had brushed his foot.

— Rachel Heng, New Yorker, 4 Oct. 2026
Stephens and several teammates then appeared to taunt the Oregon players and celebrate the dirty play rather than show concern for a fellow college athlete who was lying motionless on the field.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 3 Oct. 2026

Definition of dirty

Adjective

The New York Yankees were still reeling from a nasty gut punch — a 1-0 loss to the rival Tampa Bay Rays in Game 1 of the best-of-five American League Division Series at Tropicana Field on Saturday night.

— Brendan Kuty, New York Times, 4 Oct. 2026
Frank Senior was a barber who dreamed of being a singer, a nasty cur who beat his two sons and verbally whittled them down to a nub.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 29 Sep. 2026

Definition of nasty

Adjective

Nowhere was that fact clearer than after each concert in the casino where rivers of black Metallica T-shirts flooded the pit.

— Kory Grow, Rolling Stone, 4 Oct. 2026
The Associated Press BACKA TOPOLA, Serbia -- Ireland players again wore black armbands and bowed their heads during the Israeli national anthem before the teams’ second Nations League soccer match on Sunday.

— ABC News, ABC News, 4 Oct. 2026

Definition of black

Browse Nearby Words

grottoes

grotty

grouch

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Style

“Grotty.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/grotty. Accessed 10 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of grotty

adjective

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