- very bad or unpleasant
- He had a nasty accident.
- The news gave me a nasty shock.
- I got a nasty surprise when I opened the door and saw who was there.
- I had a nasty feeling that he would follow me.
- This coffee has a nasty taste.
- Don't buy that coat—it looks cheap and nasty.
Extra Examples- a room full of cheap and nasty ornaments
- This coffee tastes nasty.
- He had a nasty moment when he thought he'd lost his passport.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryverbs- be
- look
- smell
- …
- extremely
- fairly
- very
- …
- about
- to
- cheap and nasty
- nasty little
Definitions on the go
Look up any word in the dictionary offline, anytime, anywhere with the Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary app.
- unkind; unpleasant synonym mean
- She's always making nasty remarks about people.
- the nastier side of her character
- He has a nasty temper.
- Life has a nasty habit of repeating itself.
- That was a nasty little trick.
- Some of these reality TV shows can be downright nasty. .
- nasty to somebody Don't be so nasty to your brother.
Extra ExamplesTopics Personal qualitiesb2- Kevin seems to enjoy being nasty to his sisters.
- She was nasty about everyone.
- a nasty little man
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryverbs- be
- look
- smell
- …
- extremely
- fairly
- very
- …
- about
- to
- cheap and nasty
- nasty little
- dangerous or serious
- a nasty bend (= dangerous for cars going fast)
- a nasty injury
- gang warfare of a thoroughly nasty kind
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryverbs- be
- look
- smell
- …
- extremely
- fairly
- very
- …
- about
- to
- cheap and nasty
- nasty little
- offensive; in bad taste
- to have a nasty mind
- nasty jokes
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryverbs- be
- look
- smell
- …
- extremely
- fairly
- very
- …
- about
- to
- cheap and nasty
- nasty little
Word Originlate Middle English: of unknown origin.
Idioms
See nasty in the Oxford Advanced American Dictionaryget/turn nasty
- to start making threats or become violent
- You'd better do what he says or he'll turn nasty.
- After the game, things turned nasty and there were fights in the streets.
- Things could turn nasty if we're not careful.
- to become bad or unpleasant
- It looks as though the weather is going to turn nasty again.
leave a bad/nasty taste in the mouth
- (of events or experiences) to make you feel upset or ashamed afterwards
- The whole business left a bad taste in my mouth.
a nasty piece of work
- (British English, informal) a person who is unpleasant, unkind or dishonest
- Don’t trust him; he’s a nasty piece of work.
- He's a thoroughly nasty piece of work.
Check pronunciation:
nasty