Mean
Mean adjective - Having or showing a desire to cause someone pain or suffering for the sheer enjoyment of it.
Usage example: a mean, embittered old woman who wanted company for her misery
Nasty is a synonym for mean in attitude topic. In some cases you can use "Nasty" instead the word "Mean" as an adjective or an adverb, when it comes to topics like good, unkind, hostile, malicious.
Nasty
Nasty adjective - Arousing or deserving of one's loathing and disgust.
Usage example: fortunately, the story's nasty characters are balanced by some truly good people
Mean is a synonym for nasty in attitude topic. You can use "Mean" instead the word "Nasty" as an adjective or an adverb, if it concerns topics such as good, character trait, unkind, spiteful.
Nearby Word: nastily
Mutual synonyms
Both words in one sentence
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Jerk with a Heart of Gold: In his early days his stories always seemed to end with him committing some act of kindness out of the good of his heart, but they were always done in a way that didn't break his "mean and nasty" facade.
Source: Comic Book / Jonah Hex - If she acts mean or nasty to her brother Eric or anyone else, they'll retort with a joke about how's she a whore.
Source: Slut-Shaming -
Some of the children behave badly at times, but this only because they are young and still learning; none of them are actually truly mean or nasty.
Source: Creator / Rosemary Wells
Cite this Source
Nasty and Mean. (2016). Retrieved 2026, July 21, from https://thesaurus.plus/related/mean/nasty
Mean & Nasty. N.p., 2016. Web. 21 Jul. 2026. <https://thesaurus.plus/related/mean/nasty>.
Nasty or Mean. 2016. Accessed July 21, 2026. https://thesaurus.plus/related/mean/nasty.
Google Ngram Viewer shows how "mean" and "nasty" have occurred on timeline