sleazy
Americanadjective
-
contemptibly low, mean, or disreputable.
sleazy politics.
-
squalid; sordid; filthy; dilapidated.
a sleazy hotel.
-
thin or poor in texture, as a fabric; cheap; flimsy.
a sleazy dress;
a sleazy excuse.
adjective
-
sordid; disreputable
a sleazy nightclub
-
thin or flimsy, as cloth
Other Word Forms
- sleazily adverb
- sleaziness noun
Etymology
Origin of sleazy
First recorded in 1635–45 sleazy for def. 3; of obscure origin; probably unrelated to Silesia; first recorded in 1941 sleazy for defs. 1, 2; perhaps a distinct word
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.
A judge bounces the notorious plaintiffs firm from the J&J trial for sleazy behavior.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 30, 2026
A judge bounces the notorious plaintiffs firm from the J&J trial for sleazy behavior.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 30, 2026
Rather than risk a military confrontation, they forced American troops to play the role of the sleazy kidnapper sneaking in windows.
From Salon • Jan. 21, 2026
But what begins as the sleazy and alluring tale of a man parachuting into self-destruction turns into an exploration of the transformative power of living in one’s true identity.
From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 22, 2025
We saw two sleazy individuals, but they took one look at us and slunk on, picking at the rubble as they tried to find something worthwhile to take.
From "Dragonwings" by Laurence Yep
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.
