# dirty money

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/dirty-money
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

Money that is illegally gained, illegally transferred or illegally utilized, especially money gained through forgery, bribery, prostitution, money laundering, or theft.

## Examples

- The police arrested the criminal for hiding dirty money.
- The bank manager lost his job after he helped a client hide dirty money in an offshore account.
- The investigation revealed that the politician had spent years laundering dirty money through a network of shell companies to fund his lavish lifestyle.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.