What context can I use each word in?
Learn when and how to use these words with these examples!
smutchy
Example
The walls of the old house were smutchy with years of accumulated grime. [smutchy: adjective]
Example
She wiped her hands on her pants, leaving them smutchy with dirt. [smutchy: adjective]
sooty
Example
The chimney sweep emerged from the fireplace, his face and clothes sooty from the work. [sooty: adjective]
Example
The old lampshade was sooty from years of use. [sooty: adjective]
Good things to know
Which word is more common?
Sooty is more commonly used than smutchy in everyday language. Sooty is versatile and covers a wide range of contexts, while smutchy is less common and may be considered more informal or colloquial.
What’s the difference in the tone of formality between smutchy and sooty?
While smutchy is typically associated with a casual and informal tone, sooty is more versatile and can be employed in various formality levels, allowing it to be used in both formal and informal contexts.
