noun
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sleaziness
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dishonest, disreputable, or immoral behaviour, especially of public officials or employees
political sleaze
Etymology
Origin of sleaze
First recorded in 1950–55; back formation from sleazy
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.
But he resigned as MP on July 8 amid a probe by the parliamentary sleaze watchdog into his finances.
From Barron's ● Aug. 11, 2026
While intended to capture the sun-soaked sleaze of a B-movie noir, “Honey Don’t!” is a perplexingly plotted whodunit that delivers the “who” but none of the “why.”
From Salon ● Aug. 23, 2025
"So I'm sitting there, minding my own business. They invite me into this Signal chat and now they're attacking me as a sleaze bag, I don't even get it."
From BBC ● Mar. 26, 2025
And so far, the familiar patina of hired-goon griminess and comical sleaze is unmistakable.
From Slate ● Nov. 26, 2024
I always knew ReelTok was sleazy, but this is a whole new level of sleaze.
From "Linked" by Gordon Korman
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.
