1
: marked by baseness or grossness : vile
sordid motives
3
: meanly avaricious : covetous
4
: of a dull or muddy color
sordidly
adverb
sordidness
noun
Synonyms
Examples of sordid in a Sentence
And Vermes's story is also in part an international thriller, especially with the high-level goings-on around the Scrolls. The full sordid tale of spite, scholarly selfishness, and undisguised anti-Semitism, which kept access to the Dead Sea texts restricted for decades to a tiny cartel, unwinds in his pages.
—
Paula Fredriksen, New Republic, 15 Oct. 2001
Another reporter working to verify the book's charges ended up unmasking author James Hatfield's sordid past, revealing how little the publisher knew about its author …
—Jennifer Greenstein, Brill's Content, February 2000
In fact, audiences now have become so blasé about accounts of celebrities' sordid personal lives that some stars are turning potential publicity nightmares into confessional coups.
—Stephen Rebello, Vibe, May 1999
He shared the sordid details of his past.
he managed to rise above the sordid streets upon which he grew up
Paula Fredriksen, New Republic, 15 Oct. 2001
Another reporter working to verify the book's charges ended up unmasking author James Hatfield's sordid past, revealing how little the publisher knew about its author …
—Jennifer Greenstein, Brill's Content, February 2000
In fact, audiences now have become so blasé about accounts of celebrities' sordid personal lives that some stars are turning potential publicity nightmares into confessional coups.
—Stephen Rebello, Vibe, May 1999
He shared the sordid details of his past.
he managed to rise above the sordid streets upon which he grew up
Recent Examples on the Web
The air was thick with the horrors of its sordid history and the resistance of our ancestors who once stood there.
—Essence, 10 Oct. 2024
But there is some sordid history here: The Lunada Bay Boys surf clique has harassed outsiders for decades by throwing rocks, cutting leashes and blocking beach access.
—Brittany Levine Beckman, Los Angeles Times, 1 Aug. 2024
With a clear voice that largely avoids anger and outrage, and a sensitive spotlight on Scientology’s survivors, Gibney weaves the church’s sordid history and modern existence into a film that is by turns startling, tragic, and redemptive.
—Declan Gallagher, EW.com, 31 July 2024
In the sordid world of professional thieves, con artists, and forgers, the answers are never clear.
—Spenser Mestel, The Hollywood Reporter, 1 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for sordid 
Essence, 10 Oct. 2024
But there is some sordid history here: The Lunada Bay Boys surf clique has harassed outsiders for decades by throwing rocks, cutting leashes and blocking beach access.
—Brittany Levine Beckman, Los Angeles Times, 1 Aug. 2024
With a clear voice that largely avoids anger and outrage, and a sensitive spotlight on Scientology’s survivors, Gibney weaves the church’s sordid history and modern existence into a film that is by turns startling, tragic, and redemptive.
—Declan Gallagher, EW.com, 31 July 2024
In the sordid world of professional thieves, con artists, and forgers, the answers are never clear.
—Spenser Mestel, The Hollywood Reporter, 1 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for sordid
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'sordid.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near sordid
Cite this Entry
“Sordid.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sordid. Accessed 4 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
sordid
adjective
sor·did
ˈsȯrd-əd 
1
: very dirty : filthy
sordid surroundings
2
: vile sense 1a
a sordid life
3
: meanly greedy : covetous
sordidly
adverb
sordidness
noun
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share