sordid

/'sɔ:did/

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The word "sordid" is an adjective used to describe something that is dirty, morally wrong, or shameful. It often refers to situations or conditions that are unpleasant, filthy, or characterized by a lack of honor or decency.

Usage Instructions:

• You can use "sordid" to describe places, situations, or actions that are considered low-quality or unethical.
• It usually carries a negative connotation, so it’s important to use it in contexts where you want to emphasize the unpleasantness or moral degradation of something.

Examples:

1. Describing a Place: "The old, sordid hotel was filled with broken furniture and dirty carpets."
2. Describing a Situation: "The politician's sordid past came to light, revealing unethical behavior during his campaign."
3. Describing Actions: "The sordid details of the scandal shocked everyone in the community."

Advanced Usage:

In more advanced contexts, "sordid" can be used in a literary sense to evoke strong imagery or emotional responses. It might describe not just physical dirtiness but also the moral failings of characters in a story.

Word Variants:

• Sordidness (noun): The quality of being sordid. Example: "The sordidness of the situation made it hard for anyone to speak out."
• Sordidly (adverb): In a sordid manner. Example: "He acted sordidly, showing no regard for ethics."

Different Meanings:

While "sordid" primarily refers to physical dirtiness or moral degradation, it can also imply greed or selfishness in some contexts, especially when discussing someone's motives.

Synonyms:

• Filthy
• Sleazy
• Squalid
• Dirty
• Unethical
• Disgraceful
• Immoral

Idioms and Phrasal Verbs:

There aren’t specific idioms or phrasal verbs that directly include "sordid," but you might use phrases like "the sordid side of life," which refers to the unpleasant or morally questionable aspects of life.

Summary:

"Sordid" is a word used to describe things that are dirty, morally corrupt, or shameful. It’s often used in negative contexts to highlight ethical failures or unpleasant living conditions.

Academic

Adjective

1. meanly avaricious and mercenary
   • sordid avarice
   • sordid material interests
2. foul and run-down and repulsive
   • a flyblown bar on the edge of town
   • a squalid overcrowded apartment in the poorest part of town
   • squalid living conditions
   • sordid shantytowns
3. unethical or dishonest
   • dirty police officers
   • a sordid political campaign
4. morally degraded
   • a seedy district
   • the seamy side of life
   • sleazy characters hanging around casinos
   • sleazy storefronts with...dirt on the walls- Seattle Weekly
   • the sordid details of his orgies stank under his very nostrils- James Joyce
   • the squalid atmosphere of intrigue and betrayal

Synonyms

• flyblown
• squalid
• dirty
• seamy
• seedy
• sleazy