dirt

noun

ˈdərt 

1

a

: excrement

b

: a filthy or soiling substance (such as mud, dust, or grime)

c

archaic : something worthless

d

: a contemptible person

treated me like dirt

2

: loose or packed soil or sand : earth

a mound of dirt

a dirt road

3

a

: an abject or filthy state : squalor

living in dirt

b

: corruption, chicanery

vowed to clean up the dirt in the city government

c

: licentiousness of language or theme

d

: scandalous or malicious gossip

spreading dirt about his ex-wife

e

: embarrassing or incriminating information

trying to dig up dirt on her political rivals

Synonyms

• clod
• earth
• ground
• mold
• soil

Examples of dirt in a Sentence

Pack dirt loosely around the base of the plant.

You've got some dirt on your face.

Their shoes were covered with dirt.

No amount of cleaning will get rid of all this dirt.

Recent Examples on the Web

As the saying goes, every flower must grow through dirt. —Laia Cervelló Herrero, The Athletic, 18 Feb. 2025

The Scoot Grandeur Apartments multi-use building coming to Cudahy could scoop its first dirt soon. —Erik S. Hanley, Journal Sentinel, 15 Feb. 2025

The next morning, a team of investigators digging through the hard clay dirt, unearthed Justine Vanderschoot's remains. —Natalie Morales, CBS News, 15 Feb. 2025

This thing does it all, such as sweeping up the dirt like a pro, scrubbing your floors, and even cleaning itself. —Shubham Yewale, PCMAG, 14 Feb. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English drit, from Old Norse; akin to Old English drītan to defecate

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing dirt

• dirt bike
• dirt cheap
• dirt farmer
• dirt floor
• dirt-poor
• dirt road
• hit/strike pay dirt
• hit the dirt
• in the dirt
• pay dirt
• treat (someone) like dirt

Kids Definition

dirt

noun

ˈdərt 

1

: a filthy or soiling substance (as mud, dust, or grime)

2

: loose or packed earth : soil

a mound of dirt

3

a

: corruption sense 2

b

: indecent language : obscenity

4

: harmful gossip

stop spreading dirt about him