Dirt — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

noun /ˈdərt/

Meaning & Definition of Dirt

Dirt (noun)

  1. excrement
  2. a filthy or soiling substance (such as mud, dust, or grime)
  3. something worthless

Dirt (noun) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. the loose surface material in which plants naturally grow

    "dig into the dirt to a depth of about three inches"

    similar: clod, earth, ground, mold, soil
    related: blackland, clay, gault (chiefly British), gley, guck, gumbo, kaolin, muck, mud, dust, gravel, sand, humus, loam, topsoil, alluvium, colluvium, detritus, loess, marl, sediment, shingle, silt, duff, mull, subsoil, substratum

  2. 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"

    similar: dust, earth, ground, land, soil, terra firma
    related: continent, landmass, zone, island, isthmus, mainland, peninsula

  3. foul matter that mars the purity or cleanliness of something

    "there's some dirt on your shoes"

    similar: crud, filth, grime, gunk, muck, smut, soil
    related: scum, sewage, sewerage, slime, sludge, swill, dross, dust (British), garbage, junk, litter, refuse, rubbish, scrap, trash, waste, crock (dialect), soot, dinginess, dirtiness, dustiness, filthiness, foulness, griminess, grubbiness, nastiness, squalidness, uncleanliness, uncleanness
    near: cleanliness, cleanness

  4. the quality or state of being obscene

    "appalled by the dirt in the author's novels"

    similar: bawdiness, blueness, coarseness, crudeness, crudity, dirtiness, filth, filthiness, foulness, grossness, impureness, impurity, indecency, lasciviousness, lewdness, nastiness, obscenity, profanity, raunch, raunchiness, ribaldry, smut, smuttiness, vulgarity, wantonness
    related: broadness, earthiness, gaminess, raciness, saltiness, suggestiveness, immodesty, indecorousness, indelicacy, indelicateness, lowness, unbecomingness, lechery, depravedness, depravity, kinkiness, naughtiness, perverseness, perversion, perversity, pervertedness, wickedness, exceptionability, objectionableness, unacceptability, undesirability, reprehensibility, reprehensibleness, abusiveness, scurrilousness, atrociousness, atrocity, infamy, loathsomeness, offensiveness, repellency, repugnance, repulsiveness, distastefulness, obnoxiousness, unpleasantness
    near: priggery, priggishness, primness, prudery, prudishness, puritanism, correctness, decency, decorousness, decorum, seemliness, appropriateness, fitness, suitability, suitableness, perfection, purity, spotlessness

  5. solid matter discharged from an animal's alimentary canal

    "tread carefully, as there's cow dirt all over the pasture"

    similar: doo-doo, dropping, dung, excrement, excreta, feces, ordure, poop, scat, slops, soil, waste
    related: night soil, stool, dunghill, guano, manure, midden, muck, spoor, sewage, sewerage, coprolite

Related Entry: Dirt cheap (adjective)

Dirt cheap is a different word from Dirt. The synonyms below are for dirt cheap, not for dirt.

  1. costing little

    "a dirt cheap little house that was the proverbial fixer-upper"

    similar: affordable, bargain-basement, budget, cheap, cheapie, cheapo, chintzy, cut-price (chiefly British), cut-rate, dime-store, el cheapo, inexpensive, low, low-end, popular, reasonable
    related: cheapish, moderate, discount, discounted, fire-sale, lowered, reduced, wholesale, valueless, worthless, supercheap, ultracheap
    opposite: costly, dear, deluxe, expensive, high, high-ticket, precious, premium, pricey, spendy (chiefly Northwest), valuable
    near: increased, inflated, exorbitant, extravagant, overpriced, prohibitive, prohibitory, steep, stiff, superexpensive, ultraexpensive, unreasonable, invaluable, priceless, luxurious

Related Entry: Dirt-poor (adjective)

Dirt-poor is a different word from Dirt. The synonyms below are for dirt-poor, not for dirt.

  1. lacking money or material possessions

    "growing up dirt-poor in the rural South"

    similar: beggared, beggarly, broke, destitute, down-and-out, famished, hard up, impecunious, impoverished, indigent, necessitous, needful, needy, pauperized, penniless, penurious, poor, poverty-stricken, skint (chiefly British), threadbare, down on one's luck, out at elbows, out of pocket
    related: deprived, disadvantaged, dispossessed, unaffluent, underprivileged, bankrupt, bankrupted, bust, insolvent, possessionless, ruined, depressed, distressed, hand-to-mouth, hardscrabble, pinched, poorish, reduced, straitened, cash-strapped, low, short, tapped out
    opposite: affluent, deep-pocketed, fat, fat-cat, flush, moneyed, opulent, rich, silk-stocking, wealthy, well-heeled, well-off, well-to-do
    near: comfortable, prosperous

Related Entry: Pay dirt (noun)

Pay dirt is a different word from Dirt. The synonyms below are for pay dirt, not for dirt.

  1. as in strike, treasure trove

    similar: strike, treasure trove, discovery, find, breakthrough

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Dirt

The most common words with a similar meaning to Dirt:

clod, earth, ground, mold, soil, dust, land, terra firma, crud, filth, grime, gunk, muck, smut, bawdiness, blueness, coarseness, crudeness, crudity, dirtiness, filthiness, foulness, grossness, impureness, impurity, indecency, lasciviousness, lewdness, nastiness, obscenity, profanity, raunch, raunchiness, ribaldry, smuttiness, vulgarity, wantonness, doo-doo, dropping, dung

Related Words for Dirt

blackland, clay, gault, gley, guck, gumbo, kaolin, mud, gravel, sand, humus, loam, topsoil, alluvium, colluvium, detritus, loess, marl, sediment, shingle, silt, duff, mull, subsoil, substratum, continent, landmass, zone, island, isthmus

Near Antonyms of Dirt

cleanliness, cleanness, priggery, priggishness, primness, prudery, prudishness, puritanism, correctness, decency, decorousness, decorum, seemliness, appropriateness, fitness, suitability, suitableness, perfection, purity, spotlessness

Origin & Etymology of Dirt

Middle English drit, from Old Norse; akin to Old English drītan to defecate

First known use: 13th century

Vocabulary Lists & Topics for Dirt

Words & Phrases Containing Dirt

dirt bike, dirt cheap, dirt farmer, dirt-poor, dirt floor, dirt road, pay dirt, hit/strike pay dirt, hit the dirt

Frequently Asked Questions about Dirt

What does "Dirt" mean?

"Dirt" means excrement. As a noun, it is defined as: excrement. It has 5 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Dirt"?

Other words for "Dirt" include clod, earth, ground, mold, soil, dust, land and terra firma. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Dirt" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Dirt"?

There are 152 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Dirt". Common alternatives include clod, earth, ground, mold, soil, dust, land, terra firma, crud and filth.

How do you use "Dirt" in a sentence?

Examples of "Dirt" in a sentence: "dig into the dirt to a depth of about three inches"; "at the first sound of gunfire we hit the dirt"; "there's some dirt on your shoes".

Is "Dirt" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Dirt" is a noun.

Is "Dirt" useful for IELTS, TOEFL, and other English exams?

As a B1-level word, "Dirt" is typical of Cambridge B1 Preliminary (PET), IELTS band 4.0–5.0, TOEFL iBT 42–71, PTE Academic 43–58, TOEIC Listening & Reading 550+.

How do you pronounce "Dirt"?

"Dirt" is pronounced /ˈdərt/.

What is the origin of the word "Dirt"?

"Dirt" comes from Middle English drit, from Old Norse; akin to Old English drītan to defecate. First known use: 13th century.