adj
grubby
GRUH-bee
Grubby (adj) means Dirty or unwashed, especially in a grimy, unpleasant way. Example: “The kids came in from the garden with grubby hands.”
adj
1
Dirty or unwashed, especially in a grimy, unpleasant way.
"He's a grubby little boy, always playing around by the stream."
"The kids came in from the garden with grubby hands."
2
Morally sordid or disreputable.
"The whole deal had a grubby feel to it."
How to use grubby
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishDirty and grimy, or shady and disreputable when talking about behavior or deals.
Common pairings
grubby hands
grubby little secret
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Word forms
- Plural
- grubbies
- Comparative
- grubbier
- Superlative
- grubbiest
Fill the gap
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The kids came in from the garden with _____ hands.
Etymology
From grub plus -y, originally suggesting something infested with grubs, later coming to mean simply dirty.
Synonyms
View more →Antonyms
Related words
Rhymes for grubby
See all rhymes for grubby →Frequently asked questions
What does “grubby” mean?
The word “grubby” means dirty or unwashed, especially in a grimy, unpleasant way. In plain terms, dirty and grimy, or shady and disreputable when talking about behavior or deals.
How do you pronounce “grubby”?
“Grubby” is pronounced GRUH-bee (/ˈɡɹʌbi/ in IPA).
How do you use “grubby” in a sentence?
Here is “grubby” used in a sentence: “The kids came in from the garden with grubby hands.”
What part of speech is “grubby”?
“Grubby” is an adjective.
How many meanings does “grubby” have?
“Grubby” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: dirty or unwashed, especially in a grimy, unpleasant way.
