dirty work
Americannoun
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disagreeable, often tedious tasks.
-
any illegal or dishonest dealing.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The large accounting firms typically rely on junior auditors to do much of the dirty work.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 7, 2026
His retirement, though, allows him to do the dirty work and absorb whatever expressions of disappointment from Trump are coming his way.
From Slate • Jan. 12, 2026
Cybersecurity experts are warning that artificial intelligence agents, widely considered the next frontier in the generative AI revolution, could wind up getting hijacked and doing the dirty work for hackers.
From Barron's • Nov. 11, 2025
He was more than willing to do the dirty work when required.
From BBC • Aug. 24, 2025
“Thanks for doing the dirty work, Mr. Clean,” she says.
From "Odd One Out" by Nic Stone
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
