Word
filthy
US/ˈfɪɫθi/
UK/fˈɪlθi/
Definitions
01extremely dirty
B2 · Upper Intermediate
adj. very, very dirty; covered in mud, grease, or waste.
adj. covered with or containing an extreme amount of filth or grime.
“The children came home with filthy clothes after playing in the mud all afternoon.”
“The inspectors found the restaurant's kitchen in a filthy state, with layers of grease coating the ventilation fans and food preparation surfaces.”
Synonyms
02obscene or rude
B2 · Upper Intermediate
adj. very offensive, rude, or showing bad behavior.
adj. morally foul, obscene, or offensive in a way that violates social standards of decency.
“He was punished for using filthy language in the classroom.”
“The comedian's routine was criticized for being unnecessarily filthy, relying on crude stereotypes rather than clever observation.”
03very unpleasant
B2 · Upper Intermediate
adj. used to describe very bad weather or a very bad mood.
adj. extremely unpleasant or disagreeable; frequently used to describe inclement weather or a foul temperament.
“It was a filthy night with heavy rain and strong winds.”
“The manager was in a filthy mood all morning, snapping at anyone who dared to ask him a question about the budget.”
04extremely rich
C1 · Advanced Informal
adj. having a huge amount of money, often in a way that seems unfair.
adj. possessing an excessive or offensive amount of wealth; almost exclusively used in the collocation 'filthy rich'.
“He became filthy rich after selling his tech company to a larger rival.”
“While the workers struggled to pay their rent, the company's founders were becoming filthy rich from the stock market flotation.”
05angry or annoyed
C2 · Proficiency Slang · British English · Dialect
adj. feeling very angry or upset with someone.
adj. experiencing or expressing significant anger, resentment, or annoyance.
“She was absolutely filthy with him for forgetting their anniversary again.”
“The coach was filthy at the team's lack of discipline during the final quarter of the match.”
Usage
Often used with the preposition 'with' or 'at'.
Teaching tip
This sense is primarily found in Australian and some British dialects; learners should use 'furious' or 'livid' in general international contexts.
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “filthy” in context.
Verb
01. become filthy
“The white curtains quickly became filthy from smoke.”
verb + adj
02. feel filthy
“After the long flight, I felt filthy all over.”
verb + adj
03. get filthy
“The kids got filthy playing football in the mud.”
verb + adj
Adjective
04. absolutely filthy
“The public toilets at the station were absolutely filthy.”
adv + adj
Noun
05. filthy habit
“Smoking in the office is a filthy habit.”
adj + noun
06. filthy joke
“He embarrassed everyone with a filthy joke.”
adj + noun
07. filthy kitchen
“We refused to eat in that filthy kitchen.”
adj + noun
08. filthy language
“He was sent off for using filthy language.”
adj + noun
09. filthy street
“Stray dogs wandered along the filthy street.”
adj + noun
10. filthy water
“They were forced to drink filthy water.”
adj + noun
11. be filthy rich
“They became filthy rich after selling their tech company.”
12. have filthy hands
“Come and wash up - you have filthy hands.”
Real-World Examples
“He was filthy and pale and dried out and I thought he was dead.” “There are tales of filthy bedrooms, unsafe equipment and illegal sublets.” “Every room was full of junk – old newspapers, broken furniture, filthy carpets, and bags and bags of rubbish.” Etymology
From Middle English filthy, filthi, equivalent to filth + -y.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
NOUN
ADJECTIVE
Idioms
01. filthy lucre
02. filthy rich
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- B2 · Upper Intermediate
- Updated
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