Headway Word of the Week

⇒ Learn more words in the Word of the Week archive

nasty

Nasty means unpleasant. It's the opposite of nice.

• David is very nice. He's warm and friendly. But his brother is a nasty character. He's rude and unpleasant.

• a nasty smell ( = unpleasant)
  
• a nasty taste ( = unpleasant)
  
• a nasty person ( = unkind)
  
• a nasty look ( = threatening)
  
• a nasty mind ( = morally bad)
  
• nasty weather ( = bad/dangerous)
  
• a nasty cut ( = deep/painful)
  
• a nasty accident ( = bad/serious)
  
• a nasty shock ( = bad/severe)

• cheap and nasty.
  ( = inexpensive and bad quality)
  What do you expect? It was a cheap and nasty watch. No wonder it's broken.
• a nasty business.
  ( = an unpleasant, upsetting situation)
  We had to tell the boy his parents were dead. It was a nasty business.
• turn nasty.
  ( = suddenly become threatening)
  She was OK if she trusted you, but if she didn't, she could turn really nasty.
• a nasty feeling
  ( = a feeling that something bad has happened or will happen)
  I have a nasty feeling that I've left my wallet on the bus.
• a nasty habit
  ( = a bad habit)
  He has a nasty habit of losing his temper when he is driving.
• to leave a nasty taste in your mouth.
  ( = to be an unpleasant or upsetting experience)
  My boss was so rude when I left that job. It left a nasty taste in my mouth.
• a nasty piece of work.
  ( = an unkind, unpleasant, untrustworthy person)
  He's a nasty piece of work. He's been in trouble with the police many times.

• unpleasant
• horrible
• disgusting
• threatening
  

↑ top ↑

⇒ Learn more words in the Word of the Week archive