Cool MateNasty vs That's gross
When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.
Nasty
InformalTop 2,000 (common)B2adjective
That's gross
InformalTop 2,000 (common)
| Nasty | That's gross | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | 🇬🇧 /["/ˈnɑːsti/"]/🇺🇸 /["/ˈnæsti/"]/ | 🇬🇧 //ðæts ɡrəʊs//🇺🇸 //ðæts ɡroʊs// |
| Meaning | Very unpleasant or disgusting. | It means something is very unpleasant or disgusting. |
| Example | She made a nasty comment that upset everyone in the room. | When I saw that moldy bread, I thought, 'That's gross.' |
| Register | Informal | Informal |
| How common | Top 2,000 (common) | Top 2,000 (common) |
| CEFR level | B2 | - |
| Part of speech | adjective | |
| Collocations | be, look, smell, extremely, fairly, very, about, to, cheap and nasty, nasty little, be, look, smell, extremely, fairly, very, about, to, cheap and nasty, nasty little, be, look, smell, extremely, fairly, very, about, to, cheap and nasty, nasty little, be, look, smell, extremely, fairly, very, about, to, cheap and nasty, nasty little | that's gross, find something gross, it's gross, gross behavior, gross food |
| Antonyms | pleasant, nice, agreeable | - |
| Common mistakes | 'Nasty' is often confused with 'mean' — 'mean' refers to behavior, 'nasty' refers to unpleasantness., Using 'nasty' in overly formal contexts sounds inappropriate., Learners sometimes use 'nasty' as a synonym for 'bad' — it's more specific than that. | Using it to describe something serious or important., Confusing it with 'that's great' when reacting positively., Using it in a sarcastic tone without clear context. |
| Usage notes | Use 'nasty' to describe something that is offensive or unpleasant. It's common in everyday conversation but may be considered rude in more formal situations. | Use in casual conversations. It's not suitable for formal settings or when talking about sensitive topics. |
See it in real clips
Frequently asked questions: Nasty vs That's gross
What's the difference between Nasty and That's gross?
Nasty: Very unpleasant or disgusting. That's gross: It means something is very unpleasant or disgusting.
Can you show an example of each?
Nasty: She made a nasty comment that upset everyone in the room. That's gross: When I saw that moldy bread, I thought, 'That's gross.'
Can I use Nasty and That's gross interchangeably?
Not always. Nasty and That's gross are related and overlap in some contexts, but they differ in register, how common they are, and usage, so swapping one for another can change the meaning or tone. Check the differences above before substituting.