dirty
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.
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For a nation long seen as the poster child for dirty coal dependence, this rapid transition points to a remarkable achievement in decarbonising its grid.
From BBC ● Sep. 22, 2026
If you ever need to evacuate in a pinch, Sauceda recommends tossing your go bag into your dirty laundry basket, as it likely contains a mix of season-appropriate clothes that fit, and carrying both out.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 22, 2026
Pigeons have been leaving a town's High Street looking dirty and efforts to deter the birds from congregating have failed, a mayor has said.
From BBC ● Sep. 12, 2026
In the quieter moments, Malkovich lets us see Chris reckoning with a life spent doing his country’s dirty work.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 8, 2026
I was a Hello Girl and now I am here, a hermit in a boardinghouse, protected by a disheveled fortress of my dirty clothes and empty tins, and Theo knows absolutely nothing.
From "The Brightwood Code" by Monica Hesse
On the other hand, as the New York Times reports, some countries may be forced to go back to outdated and even dirtier resources like coal.
From Salon ● Mar. 17, 2026
The new kind of power purchases they’re making are mission critical, much more expensive, and almost certainly dirtier from an environmental perspective, she said.
From Barron's ● Feb. 25, 2026
"It's gone to China, where it's made in a dirtier way," she told the BBC.
From BBC ● Feb. 13, 2026
Its reliance on imports has been increasing as domestic oil and gas fields such as the North Sea basin deplete and climate policies phase out dirtier fuels including coal.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 11, 2026
"It's the same colour as mum's only much dirtier looking."
From "Matilda" by Roald Dahl
The town, just a short drive from the capital, Pristina, produces almost all of the country's electricity by burning lignite, the lowest-quality and dirtiest coal, dug from nearby pits.
From Barron's ● Aug. 28, 2026
Listening to “The Boutique,” I feel like I should be smoking a cigarette and drinking the dirtiest martini known to man in a speakeasy, wearing a drop waist silk dress and bright red lipstick.
From Salon ● Jun. 5, 2026
It ranges from the greenest to the dirtiest, from established technologies to speculative ones, and even includes companies that play tangential roles in the sector.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 24, 2025
The dirtiest laundry isn’t aired, and even at nine hours, it clips along so swiftly that the hardest times feel softened.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 26, 2025
In fact they are the dirtiest fingernails I have ever seen on such a lovely, wonderful-smelling person.
From "Middlesex: A Novel" by Jeffrey Eugenides
“Today, there are also open drains lining homes which dirties the blue paint and damages the walls,” says Mr Dave.
From BBC ● Oct. 16, 2024
“It dirties up a case. It brings in more otherwise inadmissible information,” said Hamasaki, who is now running for San Francisco district attorney.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 28, 2022
Buying two or three sets of sheets does mean using up some already limited storage, but students not terribly laundry-responsible won’t go into crisis when the dirties pile up.
From Seattle Times ● Jul. 20, 2022
"This summit does not dignify anyone, rather, it dirties them, it sullies them. We Latin Americans have to defend ourselves so that they respect us."
From Reuters ● May 19, 2022
Whenever he feels trapped and panic sets in, he loses control and dirties himself.
From "Flowers for Algernon" by Daniel Keyes
I had not dirtied anything requiring an overnight soak.
From Salon ● Sep. 20, 2026
I'm not surprised to see air pollution, it's why we're doing the experiment, but I can't escape a feeling of being dirtied, contaminated… sullied by it.
From BBC ● Feb. 6, 2026
During one spurt of construction, High Point offered free carwashes and valet service because the dust dirtied vehicles and the work limited parking.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 21, 2025
Soon after word of the war’s end reaches Bertie and Sofie, Bertie discovers an emaciated young man unconscious in the asparagus patch “in the dirtied stripes of a camp prisoner.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 29, 2025
When the animals came back, they were saddened to see that the water had been so dirtied.
From "The Girl Who Married a Lion: and Other Tales from Africa" by Alexander Mccall Smith
She said the latest ban will "protect the environment and help to cut litter - stopping plastic pollution dirtying our streets and threatening our wildlife".
From BBC ● Sep. 30, 2023
It’s a plan that risks pleasing no one, while also dirtying the company’s valuation.
From Reuters ● Feb. 15, 2023
“Not that there has not been any efforts, there have been several cleaning campaigns, but there are more people dirtying it. People are the problem.”
From Seattle Times ● Aug. 16, 2022
“But he said arguments spoil its beauty, and that he would feel as if he was dirtying a flower with muddy hands.”
From New York Times ● Apr. 6, 2022
“Augustus,” cried Mr. Wonka, hopping up and down and waggling his stick in the air, “you must come away. You are dirtying my chocolate!”
From "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" by Roald Dahl
