requiring exceptional skill or caution in performance or handling
given the high-ranking people involved, it will be a nasty job to hammer out a compromise
How does the adjective nasty differ from other similar words?
Some common synonyms of nasty are dirty, filthy, foul, and squalid. While all these words mean "conspicuously unclean or impure," nasty applies to what is actually foul or is repugnant to one expecting freshness, cleanliness, or sweetness; in practice, however, nasty is often weakened to the point of being no more than a synonym of unpleasant or disagreeable. When used figuratively, nasty implies a peculiarly offensive unpleasantness.
it's a nasty job to clean up after a sick cat
had a nasty fall
his answer gave her a nasty shock
a stand-up comedian known for nasty humor
When is dirty a more appropriate choice than nasty?
The words dirty and nasty are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, dirty emphasizes the presence of dirt more than an emotional reaction to it or, figuratively, stresses meanness or despicableness.
a dirty littered street
don't ask me to do your dirty work
When could filthy be used to replace nasty?
Although the words filthy and nasty have much in common, filthy carries a strong suggestion of offensiveness and typically of gradually accumulated dirt that begrimes and besmears. Figuratively, it can also describe disgusting obscenity.
a stained greasy floor, utterly filthy
filthy street language
When would foul be a good substitute for nasty?
While in some cases nearly identical to nasty, foul implies extreme offensiveness and an accumulation of what is rotten or stinking; it can also describe, for example, loathsome behavior.
a foul-smelling open sewer
a foul story of lust and greed
When might squalid be a better fit than nasty?
In some situations, the words squalid and nasty are roughly equivalent. However, squalid adds to the idea of dirtiness and filth that of slovenly neglect. Distinctively, its figurative use implies sordidness as well as baseness and dirtiness.
squalid slums
engaged in a series of squalid affairs
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of nastyWorking with a nasty four-pitch mix, Bradley struck out six over four innings before achieving the feat in the fifth.—
Dan Hayes,
New York Times,
26 Aug. 2026 Paul and Matthews were also embroiled in a nasty social media feud that was sparked amid the controversy.—
Mckinley Franklin,
HollywoodReporter,
26 Aug. 2026 Other moviegoers adored his campy but somehow restrained mania as the butler in Clue, or delighted in his nasty smarm as the concierge in Home Alone 2.—
Tom Nichols,
The Atlantic,
26 Aug. 2026 Even by the famously hostile standards of New York City’s high-end co-ops, this was nasty.—
Noah Shachtman,
Vanity Fair,
25 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for nasty
The seventh-round rookie threw an ugly interception in the first quarter, while backpedaling and off his back foot.
—
Sam McDowell,
Kansas City Star,
29 Aug. 2026
Several leading Democrats, including Senator Elissa Slotkin of Michigan and House Speaker Hakeem Jeffries, issued statements denouncing Piker’s ugly warning to the Jews as a barely veiled anti-Semitic threat.
More than 3,000 shows and a sizable cult following later, The Dark Room has evolved into a choose-your-own-adventure live action video game, presided over by Robertson as its obscene, merciless and incredibly quick-witted host.
—
Rebecca Rosman,
NPR,
31 Aug. 2026
The law is aimed at prohibiting children from obtaining books and movies with obscene content.
Prototype points toward larger trials To demonstrate the design, the researchers produced a marine buoy that remained stable in a turbulent seawater tank rotated up to 45 degrees.
The report from the Government Accountability Office found delays and holes in how the Secret Service updates its policies regarding threats, and arrives after a few turbulent years for the agency charged with the president’s protection.
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