DOWN AND DIRTY Synonyms: 41 Similar and Opposite Words

down and dirty

adjective

Definition of down and dirty

as in impromptu

made or done without previous thought or preparation hoisting aloft the down and dirty sign that we had just made, we joined the protest

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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 down and dirty The Wilson, North Carolina native can get as down and dirty as your regular country boy and can also fit in among the greats. — Mya Abraham, VIBE.com, 6 Aug. 2025

Recent Examples of Synonyms for down and dirty

Adjective

Yet her inclusion feels totally impromptu, like she and Bryan just got called up for their turn at karaoke and didn’t have a chance to work out the harmonies.

— Walden Green, Pitchfork, 16 Oct. 2026
Moroney, Bryan and 19-year-old singer-songwriter Ty Myers were teased as being part of the lineup in an impromptu drone show over Tower Bridge Wednesday night.

— Camila Pedrosa, Sacbee.com, 15 Oct. 2026

Definition of impromptu

Adjective

These findings suggest that the audience for conversations about the soul is not shrinking, but shifting away from organized religion and toward more personal, improvisational forms of seeking.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 5 Oct. 2026
Last month, at the Earl Scruggs Music Festival in Western North Carolina, MGU rolled through an hour-long set of new material from Appalachian Smoke and intricate improvisational jams.

— Garret K. Woodward, Rolling Stone, 4 Oct. 2026

Definition of improvisational

Adjective

Stiff was a record company that was founded on about 1,000 pounds and everything was done in an improvised fashion, including what order the songs came out from different artists.

— Chris Willman, Variety, 8 Oct. 2026
The piece contends that the threat warrants advance legal planning rather than reliance on improvised responses after a disruption occurs.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 27 Sep. 2026

Definition of improvised

Adjective

Using Ad Hoc Communication Processes Informal communication through hallway conversations, personal relationships and ad hoc decisions can break down quickly as a company grows.

— Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 15 Oct. 2026
The first part, the Way, was an ad hoc system of safety rules and climbing ethics, handed down from climber to climber.

— Daniel Duane, New York Times, 14 Oct. 2026

Definition of ad hoc

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down

down and dirty

down-and-out

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“Down and dirty.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/down%20and%20dirty. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of down and dirty

adjective

Example Sentences

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