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

And it was solved not with an army but a pump that lifted water away from one side of a wall, and a bulldozer that pushed dirt against the other. —Karl Vick, TIME, 11 Sep. 2024

Several of the Black artists who’ve won favor by feigning pro-Blackness, including Lamar, continue to help the NFL throw dirt on his fight. —Andre Gee, Rolling Stone, 9 Sep. 2024

The pit is covered with a tarp, and dirt gets shoveled on top to trap the heat. —Manola Secaira, NPR, 9 Sep. 2024

The vacuum has a home base all-in-one station that serves to charge the battery, offload dirt from the dustbin and clean the mop heads (with heated water and hot air drying). —Tribune News Service, Orange County Register, 7 Sep. 2024

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