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Synonyms

scummy

American  
[skuhm-ee] / ˈskʌm i /

adjective

scummier, scummiest

  1. consisting of or having scum.

  2. Informal. despicable; contemptible.

    That was a scummy trick.
scummy British  
/ ˈskʌmɪ /

adjective

  1. of, resembling, consisting of, or covered with scum

  2. dirty, unpleasant, or nasty

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of scummy

First recorded in 1570–80; scum + -y 1

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.

Scummy blankets of blue-green algae, or cyanobacteria, have appeared at alarming scales since the early 2000s, killing plants and fish and straining water treatment facilities.

From Salon • Nov. 18, 2018

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.