adj
sordid
SAW-dihd
adj
1
Morally low, distasteful, or shameful; involving dishonesty or vice.
"The tabloids dug up every sordid detail of the affair."
"It was a sordid business deal built on bribery."
2
Dirty, run-down, or squalid.
"They found the missing dog in a sordid back alley."
How to Use Sordid
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishGrubby and morally shady at once — used for both dirty places and dirty dealings.
Common pairings
sordid affair
sordid details
sordid past
Word Forms
sordider comparative, sordidest superlative
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Etymology
From Latin sordidus ("dirty, filthy"), from sordes ("dirt, filth").