sleazy

adjective

slea·​zy ˈslē-zē How to pronounce sleazy (audio)
 also  ˈslā-
sleazier; sleaziest
1
a
: lacking firmness of texture : flimsy
b
: carelessly made of inferior materials : shoddy
2
a
: marked by low character or quality
sleazy tabloids
b
: squalid, dilapidated
sleazy bars
sleazily
ˈslē-zə-lē How to pronounce sleazy (audio)
 also  ˈslā-
adverb
sleaziness
ˈslē-zē-nəs How to pronounce sleazy (audio)
 also  ˈslā-
noun

Examples of sleazy in a Sentence

a dancer in a sleazy outfit a sleazy lothario who is always on the make
Recent Examples on the Web As her profile grew, the Republican primary attacks became sleazier. Dan Morrison, USA TODAY, 20 Jan. 2024 Surrounded by a delightful cast of weirdos — with a scene-stealing, hilarious turn by Marc Maron as sleazy director Sam Sylvia — GLOW is a comedy match-up worth cheering for. Andrew Walsh, EW.com, 30 Jan. 2024 As Kiryu’s story progresses, the list of names and faces to keep track of has also grown — there are grizzled detectives, corrupt politicians, sleazy thugs, scrappy hustlers and distressed hostesses. Brian Feldman, New York Times, 23 Jan. 2024 Clay’s first stop is a sleazy call center, led by a Wolf of Wall Street–type swindler. Giancarlo Sopo, National Review, 13 Jan. 2024 The track, co-written with Natalie Findlay and Jules Apollinaire, is a synthy, sleazy rocker with the kind of anthemic chorus that will be in your head for days. Angie Martoccio, Rolling Stone, 11 Jan. 2024 In comparison to 1985’s formidably mediocre Rappin’ and 1990’s sleazy Lambada (which brought back Quiñones to bolster the inadequacies of the film’s leads), Breakin’ may seem masterful at certain times. Nicholas Bell, SPIN, 19 Dec. 2023 That mingling of high and low society, penthouse and pavement, was a distinguishing mark of the surrounding scene, where there was a self-conscious glorying in things sleazy. Ian Penman, The New Yorker, 16 Oct. 2023 McBride unfolds the efforts to rescue Dodo, plus side plots involving crackpot business schemes and sleazy bigwigs, with his trademark skill, brio, and frank talk. Erin Douglass, The Christian Science Monitor, 12 Oct. 2023

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

origin unknown

First Known Use

circa 1645, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of sleazy was circa 1645

Dictionary Entries Near sleazy

Cite this Entry

“Sleazy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sleazy. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

sleazy

adjective
slea·​zy ˈslē-zē How to pronounce sleazy (audio)
 also  ˈslā-
sleazier; sleaziest
1
: not firm in texture : flimsy
2
: made carelessly of poor material : shoddy
sleazily adverb
sleaziness noun

More from Merriam-Webster on sleazy

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!