squalid

adjective

squal·​id ˈskwä-ləd How to pronounce squalid (audio)
Synonyms of squalidnext
1
: marked by filthiness and degradation from neglect or poverty
2
: sordid
squalidly adverb
squalidness noun
Choose the Right Synonym for squalid

dirty, filthy, foul, nasty, squalid mean conspicuously unclean or impure.

dirty emphasizes the presence of dirt more than an emotional reaction to it.

a dirty littered street

filthy carries a strong suggestion of offensiveness and typically of gradually accumulated dirt that begrimes and besmears.

a stained greasy floor, utterly filthy

foul implies extreme offensiveness and an accumulation of what is rotten or stinking.

a foul-smelling open sewer

nasty applies to what is actually foul or is repugnant to one expecting freshness, cleanliness, or sweetness.

it's a nasty job to clean up after a sick cat

In practice, nasty is often weakened to the point of being no more than a synonym of unpleasant or disagreeable.

had a nasty fall
his answer gave her a nasty shock

squalid adds to the idea of dirtiness and filth that of slovenly neglect.

squalid slums

All these terms are also applicable to moral uncleanness or baseness or obscenity.

dirty then stresses meanness or despicableness

don't ask me to do your dirty work

, while filthy and foul describe disgusting obscenity or loathsome behavior

filthy street language
a foul story of lust and greed

, and nasty implies a peculiarly offensive unpleasantness.

a stand-up comedian known for nasty humor

Distinctively, squalid implies sordidness as well as baseness and dirtiness.

engaged in a series of squalid affairs

Examples of squalid in a Sentence

The family lived in squalid conditions.
Recent Examples on the Web The newspaper found squalid conditions in the foundation’s buildings, residents under threat of eviction, roach and bedbug infestations and high rates of code enforcement and public health complaints. —Mercury News & East Bay Times Editorial, The Mercury News, 2 Aug. 2024 Toward the end of the Season 2 finale, Louis returns to New Orleans after banishing Armand from his home and appears in Lestat’s squalid home to apologize. —Judy Berman, TIME, 1 July 2024 San Mateo County has scrapped plans for a large farmworker housing project in Half Moon Bay more than a year after seven local farmworkers were killed in a mass shooting that exposed squalid living conditions at some farms along the coast. —Ethan Varian, The Mercury News, 10 July 2024 This antipathy to an alien influx is exacerbated by preaching from the domestic Left that Western culture is squalid, hypocritical, racist, and wrong. —Hugo Gurdon, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 14 June 2024 See all Example Sentences for squalid 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'squalid.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Latin squalidus rough, dirty, from squalēre to be covered with scales or dirt, from squalus dirty; perhaps akin to Latin squama scale

First Known Use

1596, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of squalid was in 1596

Dictionary Entries Near squalid

Squali

squalid

Squalida

See More Nearby Entries 

Cite this Entry

“Squalid.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/squalid. Accessed 19 Aug. 2024.

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Kids Definition

squalid

adjective
squal·​id ˈskwäl-əd How to pronounce squalid (audio)
1
: filthy or degraded as a result of neglect or the lack of money
2
: vile sense 1a
squalidly adverb
squalidness noun
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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