1
as in filthy
severely lacking in cleanliness
The squalid boarding house was overrun with rats.
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in vile
not moral or honest
The whole squalid affair will rightly end the politician's public career.
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of squalid
Many January 6 defendants have protested inhumane prison conditions, including physical abuse, retaliation, and deprivation of food and heat, in a squalid D.C. jail from which several hundred were relocated after a U.S. Marshals Service investigation.
—
Paul Du Quenoy, Newsweek, 7 Jan. 2025
Hundreds of thousands are crammed into squalid tent camps with dwindling food after Israel sealed off the territory from all imports more than a month ago.
—Isaac Scharf, Los Angeles Times, 16 Apr. 2025
After seeing an investigative report on the squalid conditions at the Willowbrook State School, Lennon and Ono decided to headline the One to One concerts: two benefit shows at Madison Square Garden to support individual (one-to-one) care for the children.
—Jon Pareles, New York Times, 8 Apr. 2025
The pictures depict a squalid living space, with junk strewn across furniture and floors throughout the home.
—Joseph Wilkinson, New York Daily News, 1 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for squalid
Paul Du Quenoy, Newsweek, 7 Jan. 2025
Hundreds of thousands are crammed into squalid tent camps with dwindling food after Israel sealed off the territory from all imports more than a month ago.
—Isaac Scharf, Los Angeles Times, 16 Apr. 2025
After seeing an investigative report on the squalid conditions at the Willowbrook State School, Lennon and Ono decided to headline the One to One concerts: two benefit shows at Madison Square Garden to support individual (one-to-one) care for the children.
—Jon Pareles, New York Times, 8 Apr. 2025
The pictures depict a squalid living space, with junk strewn across furniture and floors throughout the home.
—Joseph Wilkinson, New York Daily News, 1 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for squalid
Recent Examples of Synonyms for squalid
Adjective
-
At least 12 outside experts submitted testimony in what’s called the Dunsmore case, finding that San Diego jails are filthy and that workers regularly fail to follow best practices or department policies.—
Jeff McDonald,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
9 May 2025
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So The Righteous Gemstones went with the sentimental ending — or at least what counts for a sentimental ending in a series so committed to the filthiest possible turns of phrase.—
Scott Tobias,
Vulture,
5 May 2025
Adjective
-
The Imperial City Sewers you’re meant to traverse while learning the basics of the game look hideous and vile.—
Jamal Michel,
New York Times,
29 Apr. 2025
-
While he’s gone, Louise really does give it the ol’ college try with Dane, who hurls threats, vile insults, and more threats in her direction.—
Sara Netzley,
EW.com,
24 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
Although a typical shareholder meeting is a dusty, staid affair, the Berkshire Hathaway annual shareholders meeting is entirely different.—
Auzinea Bacon,
CNN Money,
3 May 2025
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Stuck in the grip of an exceptional drought, the city of El Paso, Texas, is facing dusty conditions not seen in nearly 90 years.—
Ian Randall,
MSNBC Newsweek,
1 May 2025
Adjective
-
So many of the latter comes thanks to Niecy Nash’s Nurse DiDi, who seems to take the time to see her patients as worthwhile much more often than her cohorts, the self-important Dr. Jenna James (Laurie Metcalf) and pitiful nurse Dawn (Alex Borstein).—
Maggie Fremont,
Vulture,
21 Apr. 2025
-
Look, everyone points to injuries as the reason for the pitiful performance so far this season, but a lot of teams are dealing with injuries.—
Reader Commentary,
Baltimore Sun,
21 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
The car’s tires were muddy and the rear window was smashed.—
Theresa Braine,
New York Daily News,
1 May 2025
-
Some kinds of anchors are better suited to muddy bottoms, while others excel in grassy or rocky bottoms.—
BestReviews,
Mercury News,
1 May 2025
Adjective
-
At the time, some of LeBron’s critics saw this as contemptible.—
Ross Andersen,
The Atlantic,
16 Mar. 2025
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Civil-liberties organizations have defended neo-Nazis and the Ku Klux Klan on the basis that, unless there is free speech for the most contemptible members of society, there cannot be free speech for all.—
Jay Caspian Kang,
The New Yorker,
14 Mar. 2025
Adjective
-
Coal plants are also the dirtiest fossil fuel in terms of planet-warming carbon dioxide emissions.—
Sammy Roth,
Los Angeles Times,
8 May 2025
-
They were bullied, beaten, humiliated, tortured and shot, with productive laborers crammed on top of one another in the dirty stone barracks—separately from the Jewish prisoners, whose numbers grew ever larger.—
Paul Hockenos,
Smithsonian Magazine,
8 May 2025
Adjective
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Police call fake GoFundMe page 'disgusting' Concord Police Capt. Brian Goldman said police are investigating.—
Norman Miller,
USA Today,
7 May 2025
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But where was the anger from Erik Spoelstra in his post-game news conference about this disgusting performance?—
Ira Winderman,
Sun Sentinel,
30 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Squalid.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/squalid. Accessed 17 May. 2025.
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