GUNKY Synonyms: 43 Similar and Opposite Words

gunky

adjective

as in grimy

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Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of gunky Gentle, but effective cleanser Between sweat, sunscreen, makeup, dirt, and more, your face can often turn into a gunky mess when traveling. — Jasmine Gomez, Travel + Leisure, 21 Aug. 2026 One commenter mentioned that the gunky conditions were reminiscent of a river in Colorado overrun by didymo, an algae that can form thick mats, making the water unpleasant for fish, animals and people. — Hannah Smith july 25, Idaho Statesman, 25 July 2026 America was built on a thick, gunky crude that comes from other countries including Canada, Saudi Arabia and Central and South American nations. — Ella Nilsen, CNN Money, 9 Mar. 2026 But the gunky fascinations of the text remain intact. — Richard Lawson, HollywoodReporter, 3 Sep. 2019

Recent Examples of Synonyms for gunky

Adjective

Written with grimy, enlivening frankness — and an ability to dig into moral ambiguity — every character scrambles to get a leg up.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 31 Aug. 2026
The song was a frenetic evolution of Brooklyn drill—the grimy, bone-rattling subgenre of hip-hop popularized by Bobby Shmurda—and its instrumental by the British producer 808Melo gave it a brash East London bounce.

— Taran Dugal, New Yorker, 30 Aug. 2026

Definition of grimy

Adjective

How To Deep Clean Stained Wood Baseboards For stained wood baseboards, Matthews advises dusting using a dry microfiber cloth and Murphy’s Oil or a wood cleaning oil (remove excessive dirt and crumbs with a vacuum cleaner first).

— Daley Quinn, Southern Living, 19 Aug. 2026
The stained glass above the front door had fallen into the street, held up only by a single cord.

— Eleanor Nash, Kansas City Star, 19 Aug. 2026

Definition of stained

Adjective

That outsider status, some former advisors and close watchers of Carney say, is precisely what gives him room to maneuver, with Canadians seeing him as above the grubby backroom dealing of traditional politics.

— Desiree Adib, ABC News, 27 Aug. 2026
Walsh’s spaceship deviates from many of the vessels seen in Star Wars, as those ships are often dirty and grubby to emphasize their use and wear.

— Rachel Raposas, PEOPLE, 10 Aug. 2026

Definition of grubby

Adjective

Wise’s wistful songwriting is retained, but completely missing is his intentionally impure palette.

— Billie Bugara, Pitchfork, 7 Mar. 2026
Kanto practitioners believe that women cannot participate because, according to Japan's Shinto religion, women's blood from menstruation and childbirth is considered impure for the purpose of religious rituals.

— Anthony Kuhn, NPR, 3 Nov. 2025

Definition of impure

Adjective

The mop head was stored directly inside the mop bucket, soiled and wet, and not in use.

— Veronica Fernandez-Alvarado July 24, Sacbee.com, 24 July 2026
Let the cleaner sit for 15 minutes and blot the excess, or cover it with a damp cloth and leave it for up to 24 hours for heavily soiled or old, set-in spots.

— Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 26 June 2026

Definition of soiled

Adjective

Kuk and especially Kodelja shine with naturalistic charm in this delicate two-hander, their easy chemistry making credible the rapport between Maruša’s grungy cynic and Alja’s snuggie-wearing neurotic.

— Beatrice Loayza, Variety, 22 Aug. 2026
Building to a poignant climax, writer-director Noah Segan’s elegant love letter to both New York and to bygone cinematic eras recalls both the 1970s, with its grungy urban antiheroes, and the 1990s, in its American indie ethos.

— Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 11 Aug. 2026

Definition of grungy

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gunk

gunky

gunman

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“Gunky.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gunky. Accessed 2 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of gunky

adjective

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