filth

noun

1
: foul or putrid matter
especially : loathsome dirt or refuse
2
a
: moral corruption or defilement
b
: something that tends to corrupt or defile

Examples of filth in a Sentence

He emerged from the cellar covered in filth. the filth of the slaughterhouse living in filth and squalor
Recent Examples on the Web But the Smiths were left with piles of filth to clean up. Stepheny Price, Fox News, 28 Feb. 2024 This habitual house of filth can be found under Y & C Restaurant and, with this record, the owners should want inspection details hidden under a different name. David J. Neal, Miami Herald, 18 Feb. 2024 Phillips’ throat burned from inhaling smoke, and he was covered in filth. Shannon Heffernan and Weihua Li, USA TODAY, 10 Jan. 2024 But try that nowadays and the guy will laugh derisively, then pick up your sawbuck between his thumb and index finger, like a piece of filth, and hand it back to you. Jack Handey, The New Yorker, 5 Feb. 2024 Corrective Actions: Must clean and maintain clean so that accumulation of filth does not occur. Harriet Ramos, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 27 Jan. 2024 What Nikki doesn't support is letting the Chinese and Iranians create anonymous accounts to spread chaos and anti-American filth among our people. Nidia Cavazos, CBS News, 15 Nov. 2023 But the movie musical will hit an especially sweet spot for folks who want filth and subversion with their show tunes, and who like to hear the classic tropes of musical theater being embraced even as they’re being thoroughly upended. Chris Willman, Variety, 8 Oct. 2023 Onlookers sometimes believe that parents force a life of filth and chaos into a happy shape, just to avoid regretting their bad choices. Heather Havrilesky, New York Times, 18 Nov. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'filth.' 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

Middle English, from Old English fȳlth, from fūl foul

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of filth was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near filth

Cite this Entry

“Filth.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/filth. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

filth

noun
1
: disgusting dirt or waste
2
: something that tends to disgust, offend, or dirty

More from Merriam-Webster on filth

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