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View synonyms for

nasty

1

[ nas-tee ]

adjective

nastier, nastiest.
  1. physically filthy; disgustingly unclean:

    a nasty pigsty of a room.

    Synonyms: , ,

    Antonyms: , , ,

  2. offensive to taste or smell; nauseating:

    This ointment is really nasty—couldn't they make it smell less vile?

    Synonyms: , , , , , , , ,

  3. a nasty habit.

  4. vicious, spiteful, or unkind:

    a nasty dog;

    a nasty rumor.

  5. bad or hard to deal with, encounter, undergo, etc.; dangerous; serious: a nasty accident.

    a nasty cut;

    a nasty accident.

  6. very unpleasant or disagreeable:

    nasty weather.

    Synonyms: ,

  7. morally filthy; obscene; indecent:

    a nasty word.

    Synonyms:

  8. Slang. formidable: a young pitcher with a nasty slider.

    the raw, nasty power of this engine;

    a young pitcher with a nasty slider.



noun

plural nasties.
  1. Informal. a nasty person or thing.

-nasty

2
  1. a combining form with the meaning “nastic pressure,” of the kind or in the direction specified by the initial element:

    hyponasty.

-nasty

1

combining form

  1. indicating a nastic movement to a certain stimulus

    nyctinasty

“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

nasty

2

/ ˈɑːɪ /

adjective

  1. unpleasant, offensive, or repugnant
  2. (of an experience, condition, etc) unpleasant, dangerous, or painful

    a nasty wound

  3. spiteful, abusive, or ill-natured
  4. obscene or indecent
  5. nasty piece of work informal.
    a cruel or mean person
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

noun

  1. an offensive or unpleasant person or thing

    a video nasty

“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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Derived Forms

  • -nastic, combining_form:in_adjective
  • ˈԲپ, adverb
  • ˈԲپԱ, noun
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Other Word Forms

  • Բ·پ· adverb
  • Բ·پ·Ա noun
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Word History and Origins

Origin of nasty1

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English, further origin unknown

Origin of nasty2

< Greek nast ( ó ) pressed close ( nastic ) + -y 3
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Word History and Origins

Origin of nasty1

from Greek nastos pressed down, close-pressed

Origin of nasty2

C14: origin obscure; probably related to Swedish dialect nasket and Dutch nestig dirty
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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

As excitement built around Prioritise Pleasure in 2021, she started getting "nasty messages" on social media, which shook her up.

From

Actions, however nasty and noble, yield reactions you rarely see coming.

From

He secrets away a trove of incriminating documents about a nasty false flag operation and cover-up, which he uses as leverage to demand his own field training.

From

Glasgow's evening went from bad to worse when Matt Fagerson departed with a nasty looking leg injury.

From

"He was very gentle. He wasn't at all aggressive. I could never imagine him being nasty or anything like that. He came over very mild," she said.

From

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nasturtiumnasute