sleaze

noun

ˈslēz 

 also  ˈslāz

1

: sleazy quality, appearance, or behavior

also : sleazy material

2

: a sleazy person

Synonyms

• sleazebag [slang]
• sleazeball [slang]
• slime
• slimeball [slang]

Examples of sleaze in a Sentence

some sleaze will try to make a buck off of this tragedy

a real sleaze who is constantly mooching off friends, and friends of friends

Recent Examples on the Web

Labour will be keen to define the election as a referendum on 14 years of Conservative rule, seizing on public fatigue with a party that has produced five prime ministers in that span and overseen Brexit, a stuttering economy and a series of sleaze scandals. —Rob Picheta, CNN, 23 May 2024

But why would Harvard Elise, who did debate prep for Paul Ryan after toiling away in the Bush globalist White House, who spent three years lambasting Trump before greasing herself up to be MAGA’s chief congressional sleaze, get anointed over true believers Johnson, Vance, or media maven Gabbard? —John William Schiffbauer, New York Daily News, 7 Mar. 2024

Now, however, as he is haunted by stories of sleaze, by accusations of ignoring his own COVID-19 guidelines, by rebellious backbenchers, by increasingly brazen potential leadership challengers, and by a misfiring economy, the prime minister’s position suddenly looks highly precarious. —Anand Menon, Foreign Affairs, 30 Dec. 2021

There are also questions this morning about whether the former president violated the gag order by going after his former fixer and friend, Michael Cohen, calling him a sleaze bag. —ABC News, 2 June 2024

Word History

Etymology

back-formation from sleazy

First Known Use

1948, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing sleaze

• sleaze factor