1
as in corrupt
having loose sexual morals
a sleazy lothario who is always on the make
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in cheap
of low quality
a sleazy yellow coat that was marked down to practically nothing and not worth even that
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in flimsy
being of a material lacking in sturdiness or substance
these cheap, sleazy curtains would do a poor job of blocking those wintertime blasts of cold air
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in dilapidated
showing signs of advanced wear and tear and neglect
several letters in the sleazy motel's neon "vacancy" sign had burned out
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of sleazy
Suddenly adrift following the disappearance of her sleazy father, Yasmin starts a relationship with Henry Muck — an aristocrat with a urine fetish.
—
Louis Staples, Rolling Stone, 23 Dec. 2024
In real life, the person convicted of financial fraud and fetishized for cutting a sleazy swath through Vice-era Brooklyn was Kari Ferrell.
—New York Times, 26 Dec. 2024
Similarly, what’s worse than PolitiFact’s being a willing participant in the conspiracy to hide President Joe Biden’s mental and physical decline is its sleazy attempt last week to absolve itself of any wrongdoing.
—Becket Adams, National Review, 22 Dec. 2024
The whole movie is touched by a '70s residue of studiously brooding rhythms, grimy interiors, and sleazy characters—one, played by a razor-sharp Charlotte Rampling—and elevated by one of Newman’s career-best performances.
—Tomris Laffly, TIME, 20 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for sleazy
Louis Staples, Rolling Stone, 23 Dec. 2024
In real life, the person convicted of financial fraud and fetishized for cutting a sleazy swath through Vice-era Brooklyn was Kari Ferrell.
—New York Times, 26 Dec. 2024
Similarly, what’s worse than PolitiFact’s being a willing participant in the conspiracy to hide President Joe Biden’s mental and physical decline is its sleazy attempt last week to absolve itself of any wrongdoing.
—Becket Adams, National Review, 22 Dec. 2024
The whole movie is touched by a '70s residue of studiously brooding rhythms, grimy interiors, and sleazy characters—one, played by a razor-sharp Charlotte Rampling—and elevated by one of Newman’s career-best performances.
—Tomris Laffly, TIME, 20 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for sleazy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sleazy
Adjective
-
This is part of the most corrupt bargain in American history. KARL: But are their counterpunches having any impact at all?—
ABC News,
ABC News,
16 Feb. 2025
-
Eric Adams has been a lousy mayor for the most part, one who couldn’t see the loaf for the crumbs and squandered his political capital on maintaining a dizzying array of corrupt friends and cronies.—
Harry Siegel,
New York Daily News,
15 Feb. 2025
Adjective
-
James said Costco is more interested in providing a good value to its customers than a cheap price.—
Nicolas Vega,
CNBC,
26 Feb. 2025
-
More upside than any of the legacy guys, cheaper, and far less drama than most of them.—
Mike DeFabo,
The Athletic,
26 Feb. 2025
Adjective
-
Unlike some stackable styles, these aren’t made with flimsy plastic that cracks easily.—
Clint Davis,
People.com,
23 Feb. 2025
-
Teams are shooting well from 3 against the Knicks, and the pick-and-roll defense has been flimsy.—
Steven Louis Goldstein,
The Athletic,
23 Feb. 2025
Adjective
-
The hotel is founded and managed by locals, who transformed a dilapidated bed-and-breakfast into a six-acre luxury hotel in 2001.—
Maya Kachroo-Levine,
Travel + Leisure,
10 Feb. 2025
-
They were forced to live in dilapidated buildings with mold, sewage, and rodent issues, and were confined to their rooms for weeks on end.—
Yaakov Katz,
Newsweek,
7 Feb. 2025
Adjective
-
These were the years in which capitalism shed its pitiless light on the absurd British soul, with its deep striations of caste and station, its postcolonial taint, most of all its perverted emotional core, full of love and loathing for its own extremes of domination and servitude.—
Rachel Cusk,
Harper's Magazine,
19 Feb. 2025
-
But, even at its most perverted, Shadow of the Erdtree handles motherhood like nuclear energy.—
Ashley Bardhan,
Vulture,
5 July 2024
Adjective
-
This is, on paper, a terrible idea for all involved.—
Zak Garner-Purkis,
Forbes,
27 Feb. 2025
-
State of play: Cleveland is terrible at planting trees.—
Sam Allard,
Axios,
26 Feb. 2025
Adjective
-
Heading into Sunday’s season opener, The White Lotus on Max saw an 84% increase in volume compared to the week leading up to its sophomore premiere, as viewers caught up on the dark, frothy drama.—
Matt Webb Mitovich,
TVLine,
18 Feb. 2025
-
When the egg whites look like a frothy bath (just before soft peaks), about 1 minute, spoon in the sugar, one heaping teaspoon at a time, while the mixer is running.—
Martin Sorge,
Chicago Tribune,
11 Feb. 2025
Adjective
-
This was to help end the puppy mill industry, where dogs are bred en masse, leading them to be born and raised in filthy and neglected conditions.—
Andrew Sheeler,
Sacramento Bee,
12 Feb. 2025
-
If coordinated correctly, Trump’s tariff threats offer an enormous opportunity for America’s neglected waterfront.—
Craig Hooper,
Forbes,
17 Jan. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Sleazy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sleazy. Accessed 3 Mar. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share