dirt
noun
ˈdərt 
1
a
: excrement
b
: a filthy or soiling substance (such as mud, dust, or grime)
c
archaic : something worthless
d
: a contemptible person
treated me like dirt
2
: loose or packed soil or sand : earth
a mound of dirt
a dirt road
3
a
: an abject or filthy state : squalor
living in dirt
b
: corruption, chicanery
vowed to clean up the dirt in the city government
c
: licentiousness of language or theme
d
: scandalous or malicious gossip
spreading dirt about his ex-wife
e
: embarrassing or incriminating information
trying to dig up dirt on her political rivals
Synonyms
- clod
- earth
- ground
- mold
- soil
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
Pack dirt loosely around the base of the plant. You've got some dirt on your face. Their shoes were covered with dirt. No amount of cleaning will get rid of all this dirt.
Recent Examples on the Web Defensive shifts will be limited: Infielders have to flank each side of second base, and all four infielders must have both feet in the dirt when the pitcher is on the rubber. 
Phil Thompson, Chicago Tribune, 10 Sep. 2022 Sometimes carpet cleaning products can leave dirt-attracting residue, making carpets look even dirtier. Caitlin Sole, Better Homes & Gardens, 7 Sep. 2022 The combination of pseudo-psychedelic paint and functional, dirt-ready upgrades required a delicate balance in execution. Basem Wasef, Robb Report, 30 Aug. 2022 But Saints Row looks somewhere between dirt-cheap and unfinished. Sam Machkovech, Ars Technica, 22 Aug. 2022 Lomi Approved Mode turns bioplastics and compostable consumer goods along with food waste into a dirt-like substance that can be put in your green bin in five to eight hours. Deanna Kizis, Sunset Magazine, 18 July 2022 Nearly a generation had passed since New Communities had dirt to dig in. Ligaya Figueras, ajc, 19 June 2022 The idea is what’s known as a negative-basis trade, or purchasing dirt-cheap Russian government or corporate bonds along with credit-default swaps which act as insurance on the potential default of a borrower. Nicole Goodkind, CNN, 9 Apr. 2022 The proposal calls for William Stafford to live at 42457 Old Highway 80, in a home off a dirt road known as Starship Gate, in a remote desert area between Boulevard and Jacumba. Alex Riggins, San Diego Union-Tribune, 30 Aug. 2022 See More
Phil Thompson, Chicago Tribune, 10 Sep. 2022 Sometimes carpet cleaning products can leave dirt-attracting residue, making carpets look even dirtier. Caitlin Sole, Better Homes & Gardens, 7 Sep. 2022 The combination of pseudo-psychedelic paint and functional, dirt-ready upgrades required a delicate balance in execution. Basem Wasef, Robb Report, 30 Aug. 2022 But Saints Row looks somewhere between dirt-cheap and unfinished. Sam Machkovech, Ars Technica, 22 Aug. 2022 Lomi Approved Mode turns bioplastics and compostable consumer goods along with food waste into a dirt-like substance that can be put in your green bin in five to eight hours. Deanna Kizis, Sunset Magazine, 18 July 2022 Nearly a generation had passed since New Communities had dirt to dig in. Ligaya Figueras, ajc, 19 June 2022 The idea is what’s known as a negative-basis trade, or purchasing dirt-cheap Russian government or corporate bonds along with credit-default swaps which act as insurance on the potential default of a borrower. Nicole Goodkind, CNN, 9 Apr. 2022 The proposal calls for William Stafford to live at 42457 Old Highway 80, in a home off a dirt road known as Starship Gate, in a remote desert area between Boulevard and Jacumba. Alex Riggins, San Diego Union-Tribune, 30 Aug. 2022 See More Word History
Etymology
Middle English drit, from Old Norse; akin to Old English drītan to defecate
First Known Use
13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a
Phrases Containing dirt
Kids Definition
dirt
noun
ˈdərt
1
: soil entry 2 sense 1 She packed dirt around the plant.
2
: a substance (as mud or dust) that makes things unclean
shoes covered in dirt
dirt
noun
1
as in soil
the loose surface material in which plants naturally grow dig into the dirt to a depth of about three inches Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- soil
- mud
- ground
- sand
- earth
- gravel
- mold
- dust
- muck
- clay
- clod
- silt
- sediment
- topsoil
- loam
- guck
- kaolin
- gley
- humus
- gumbo
- detritus
- blackland
- gook
- gault
- alluvium
- colluvium
- marl
- subsoil
- duff
- loess
- shingle
- substratum
- mull
2
as in land
the solid part of our planet's surface as distinguished from the sea and air at the first sound of gunfire we hit the dirt Synonyms & Similar Words
- soil
- land
- ground
- dust
- earth
- continent
- island
- terra firma
- zone
- mainland
- peninsula
- landmass
- isthmus
3
as in muck
foul matter that mars the purity or cleanliness of something there's some dirt on your shoes Synonyms & Similar Words
- soil
- muck
- dust
- sewage
- sludge
- grime
- garbage
- filth
- gunk
- trash
- litter
- crud
- junk
- smut
- rubbish
- scum
- slime
- sewerage
- soot
- dirtiness
- dross
- waste
- refuse
- swill
- dustiness
- nastiness
- uncleanliness
- scrap
- uncleanness
- filthiness
- foulness
- crock
- grubbiness
- griminess
- dinginess
- squalidness
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- cleanliness
- cleanness
4
as in grossness
the quality or state of being obscene appalled by the dirt in the author's novels Synonyms & Similar Words
- grossness
- vulgarity
- filth
- foulness
- dirtiness
- coarseness
- impurity
- obscenity
- suggestiveness
- lewdness
- crudeness
- raunch
- filthiness
- blueness
- ribaldry
- lasciviousness
- smut
- bawdiness
- abusiveness
- profanity
- nastiness
- offensiveness
- crudity
- impureness
- indecency
- lowness
- raunchiness
- wantonness
- distastefulness
- earthiness
- broadness
- perversity
- naughtiness
- indelicacy
- saltiness
- unpleasantness
- smuttiness
- atrocity
- undesirability
- wickedness
- unacceptability
- repellency
- repugnance
- perverseness
- kinkiness
- repulsiveness
- obnoxiousness
- indecorousness
- unbecomingness
- infamy
- perversion
- gaminess
- loathsomeness
- depravedness
- lechery
- immodesty
- reprehensibility
- objectionableness
- raciness
- pervertedness
- reprehensibleness
- depravity
- scurrilousness
- indelicateness
- exceptionability
- atrociousness
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- priggishness
- puritanism
- primness
- prudery
- prudishness
- decorum
- purity
- decency
- priggery
- correctness
- suitability
- seemliness
- fitness
- spotlessness
- decorousness
- appropriateness
- suitableness
- perfection
5
as in dung
solid matter discharged from an animal's alimentary canal tread carefully, as there's cow dirt all over the pasture Synonyms & Similar Words
- soil
- dung
- feces
- muck
- excrement
- poop
- dropping
- excreta
- slops
- ordure
- scat
- doo-doo
- manure
- sewage
- waste
- stool
- guano
- dunghill
- sewerage
- midden
- night soil
- spoor
- coprolite