1
a
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
Examples of dirt in a Sentence
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
The herd was moving south, away from the lake and towards a geyser basin where the dirt was warm from underground volcanos, where openings in the earth breathed vapour from fumaroles.
—
Hazlitt, 5 June 2024
Due to this tool’s narrow and thin edge and crescent shape design, the blade is extremely sharp and therefore cuts swiftly through the dirt to excoriate weeds.
—Stephanie Osmanski, Better Homes & Gardens, 30 May 2024
Go forth, ease your feet into the dirt and unwind in the woods.
—Jaclyn Cosgrove, Los Angeles Times, 30 May 2024
Digging into the dull brown dirt of a central Asian country, looters reopened two ancient burials.
—Aspen Pflughoeft, Miami Herald, 29 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for dirt 
Hazlitt, 5 June 2024
Due to this tool’s narrow and thin edge and crescent shape design, the blade is extremely sharp and therefore cuts swiftly through the dirt to excoriate weeds.
—Stephanie Osmanski, Better Homes & Gardens, 30 May 2024
Go forth, ease your feet into the dirt and unwind in the woods.
—Jaclyn Cosgrove, Los Angeles Times, 30 May 2024
Digging into the dull brown dirt of a central Asian country, looters reopened two ancient burials.
—Aspen Pflughoeft, Miami Herald, 29 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for dirt
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'dirt.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Dirt.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dirt. Accessed 10 Jun. 2024.
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