The term “squalor” refers to a state of extreme dirtiness, filth, and neglect, typically in a living environment. It describes conditions that are unhygienic, overcrowded, and marked by a lack of basic sanitation and care. Squalor can also denote poverty-stricken living situations where the environment is run-down or deteriorated, often associated with deprivation and destitution. The word conveys a sense of discomfort, degradation, and unpleasantness, both in terms of physical space and social conditions.
Sample Sentences:
- The family lived in squalor, surrounded by piles of garbage and broken furniture.
- The refugees were forced to live in squalor, with inadequate shelter and limited resources.
- The abandoned house had fallen into squalor, with mold growing on the walls and filth covering the floors.
- The children had to grow up in squalor, with no access to clean water or proper food.
- The conditions in the slums were squalid, with poor sanitation and overcrowded housing.
- They were horrified to discover the squalor in which the animals were kept at the shelter.
- The tenant’s apartment had been left in squalor, with dirty dishes everywhere and the air thick with dust.
- The building had decayed into squalor over the years, with crumbling walls and broken windows.
- He couldn’t bear to live in such squalor, so he moved out as soon as possible.
- The workers were forced to endure squalor in the makeshift camps while working on the construction site.
Synonyms for “Squalor”:
- Filth
- Dirt
- Decay
- Neglect
- Mess
- Disrepair
- Degradation
- Slum
- Grime
- Poverty
Antonyms for “Squalor”:
- Cleanliness
- Hygiene
- Orderliness
- Neatness
- Freshness
- Pristine
- Sanitation
- Comfort
- Prosperity
- Affluence
Related Words to “Squalor”:
- Filth
- Dirt
- Mess
- Slum
- Grime
- Poverty
- Deprivation
- Decay
- Neglect
- Disrepair
Phrasal Verbs Related to “Squalor”:
- “Clean up” (e.g., They had to clean up the squalor in the abandoned building before it could be restored.)
- “Scrub off” (e.g., She worked tirelessly to scrub off the grime that had accumulated in the squalor of the room.)
- “Fix up” (e.g., They decided to fix up the apartment to get rid of the squalor and make it livable again.)
- “Straighten up” (e.g., He had to straighten up his apartment to remove the squalor it had fallen into.)
Idiomatic Expressions Related to “Squalor”:
- “Living in filth” (used to describe living in very dirty, unsanitary conditions)
- “In the gutter” (often used to describe living in squalor or poverty, where one is deprived of basic comforts)
- “Down and out” (refers to being in a state of extreme poverty, often associated with living in squalor)
- “In dire straits” (a figurative way of saying someone is living in a very poor or squalid condition)
- “A slumdog” (used to describe someone living in squalor or poverty, often with a derogatory tone)
