sordid

/ˈsɔːdɪd/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈsɔːrdɪd/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈsȯr-dəd/ (ame, mw)

sordid — adjective

  • sordidpositive
  • more sordidcomparative
  • most sordidsuperlative

1. extremely dirty, neglected, and unpleasant — used to describe places or living c

1.形容詞B2
釋義

extremely dirty, neglected, and unpleasant — used to describe places or living conditions so squalid that they make people feel disgusted or uncomfortable just to be near them.

例句

The refugee camp housed families in sordid tents with no clean water or working toilets.

collocation: sordid tents / sordid conditions

When Mei inspected the rental unit, she was horrified by its sordid bathroom.

同義詞
  • squalid

    more specific to poverty-related filth and decay; often implies overcrowding and neglect

  • grimy

    less intense; describes surface dirt rather than deep squalor; more frequent in everyday speech

  • foul

    emphasises bad smell or revolting nature; broader usage covering air, water, taste and behaviour

反義詞
  • clean
  • spotless

    emphasises complete cleanliness, the opposite of neglected dirtiness

  • pristine

    suggests fresh, untouched cleanliness

用法筆記

Typically describes places, rooms, buildings, or living conditions rather than people directly. The dirtiness often implies long-term neglect, poverty, or lack of basic sanitation.

常見錯誤

❌The sordid man had not showered in days.
✅The man lived in a sordid apartment with broken windows and no plumbing.
💡In its physical sense, 'sordid' describes places or living conditions, not people.

2. involving dishonest, selfish, or morally degrading actions that most people woul

2.形容詞C1
釋義

involving dishonest, selfish, or morally degrading actions that most people would find shocking or shameful — used of behaviour, secrets, deals, or motives rather than of people directly.

例句

The newspaper revealed the sordid details of the mayor's secret land deals.

collocation: sordid details

No one wanted to discuss the sordid affair that destroyed the family business.

同義詞
  • corrupt

    focuses on dishonest or illegal behaviour by people in positions of trust; can describe both actions and the people responsible

  • depraved

    stronger, suggesting complete and perverted moral corruption; more extreme than 'sordid'

  • seedy

    milder; describes cheap, disreputable conditions or behaviour without the strong moral shock of 'sordid'

反義詞
  • honourable

    describes behaviour that is morally principled and worthy of respect

  • upright

    emphasises strong moral character and integrity

  • decent

    simple, everyday opposite; suggests basic moral standards

用法筆記

Frequently modifies nouns like 'details', 'affair', 'secret', 'truth', 'past', and 'story'. Unlike 'corrupt', which describes a person or system, 'sordid' describes the quality of the behaviour or information itself.

常見錯誤

❌He told a sordid joke at the party.
✅The investigation uncovered the sordid details of the bank's money-laundering scheme.
💡'Sordid' implies serious dishonesty or moral degradation, not just crude or offensive humour.