Mean vs. Nasty: Know the Difference
By Shumaila Saeed || Updated on December 25, 2023
Mean involves unkindness or spite, while nasty implies a grossly offensive or malicious quality.
Key Differences
Mean is often used to describe behavior that is unkind, spiteful, or deliberately hurtful. It suggests a lack of compassion or empathy. Nasty, on the other hand, conveys a more intense, often repugnant or malicious characteristic. It goes beyond mere unkindness to imply something morally offensive or physically disgusting.
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 13, 2023
When someone is being mean, they may engage in petty actions, hurtful words, or small-scale unkindness. It can be more subtle and less intense. Conversely, nasty is usually more severe and can involve grossly offensive or harmful actions. It is often used to describe things that are physically unpleasant or morally despicable.
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 13, 2023
In the context of interpersonal relationships, being mean can involve actions like mockery, insults, or exclusion. It's about causing emotional hurt. Nasty behavior, however, often has a stronger connotation, implying actions that are vicious, cruel, and potentially more harmful or threatening.
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 13, 2023
The word mean can also have a neutral connotation in other contexts, like an average in mathematics. In contrast, nasty is almost exclusively negative, used to describe severe weather, difficult situations, or objectionable substances.
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 13, 2023
In terms of origin, mean comes from the Old English "gemǣne", which relates to the common or shared. This origin subtly hints at its use to describe actions that degrade someone to a lower, more common status. Nasty originates from uncertain roots but is often associated with dirtiness or filth, reinforcing its use for deeply unpleasant or morally soiled situations.
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 13, 2023
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Comparison Chart
Usage
Interpersonal behavior, mathematical average
Physical unpleasantness, moral offensiveness
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 13, 2023
Origin
Old English "gemǣne" (common, shared)
Uncertain, associated with filth
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 13, 2023
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Mean and Nasty Definitions
Mean
Unkind or spiteful
His mean comments about her artwork hurt her feelings.
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Dec 06, 2023
Nasty
Severe or serious, especially in effects
The storm turned nasty, causing widespread damage.
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Dec 06, 2023
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Mean
To be used to convey; denote
"'The question is,' said Alice, 'whether you can make words mean so many different things'" (Lewis Carroll).
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Dec 05, 2023
Mean
To act as a symbol of; signify or represent
In this poem, the budding flower means youth.
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Dec 05, 2023
Mean
To intend to convey or indicate
"No one means all he says, and yet very few say all they mean, for words are slippery and thought is viscous" (Henry Adams).
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Dec 05, 2023
Mean
To have as a purpose or an intention; intend
I meant to go running this morning, but I overslept.
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Dec 05, 2023
Mean
To design, intend, or destine for a certain purpose or end
A building that was meant for storage.
A student who was meant to be a scientist.
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Dec 05, 2023
Mean
To have the importance or value of
The opinions of the critics meant nothing to him. She meant so much to me.
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Dec 05, 2023
Nasty
Exasperatingly difficult to solve or handle
A nasty puzzle.
A nasty problem.
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 05, 2023
Mean
To have intentions of a specified kind; be disposed
They mean well but lack tact.
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Dec 05, 2023
Nasty
One that is nasty
"It is the business of museums to present us with nasties as well as with fine things" (Country Life).
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Dec 05, 2023
Mean
Lacking in kindness; unkind
The teacher was not being mean in asking you to be quiet.
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Dec 05, 2023
Mean
Cruel, spiteful, or malicious
A mean boy who liked to make fun of others.
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Dec 05, 2023
Mean
Something having a position, quality, or condition midway between extremes; a medium.
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Dec 05, 2023
Nasty
(informal) Something nasty.
Processed foods are full of aspartame and other nasties.
This video game involves flying through a maze zapping various nasties.
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Dec 05, 2023
Mean
A number that typifies a set of numbers, such as a geometric mean or an arithmetic mean.
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Dec 05, 2023
Nasty
Offensively filthy; very dirty, foul, or defiled; disgusting; nauseous.
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Dec 05, 2023
Mean
Means (used with a sing. or pl. verb) A method, a course of action, or an instrument by which an act can be accomplished or an end achieved.
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Dec 05, 2023
Nasty
Hence, loosely: Offensive; disagreeable; unpropitious; wet; drizzling; as, a nasty rain, day, sky.
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 05, 2023
Nasty
Vicious; offensively ill-tempered; insultingly mean; spiteful; as, a nasty disposition.
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Dec 05, 2023
Nasty
Difficult to deal with; troublesome; as, he fell of his bike and got a nasty bruise on his knee.
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Dec 05, 2023
Mean
(transitive) To intend, to plan (to do); to have as one's intention.
I didn't mean to knock your tooth out.
I mean to go to Baddeck this summer.
I meant to take the car in for a smog check, but it slipped my mind.
The authors meant a challenge to the status quo.
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Dec 05, 2023
Nasty
Offensive or even (of persons) malicious;
In a nasty mood
A nasty accident
A nasty shock
A nasty smell
A nasty trick to pull
Will he say nasty things at my funeral?
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Dec 05, 2023
Mean
(intransitive) To have as intentions of a given kind.
Don't be angry; she meant well.
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Dec 05, 2023
Nasty
Exasperatingly difficult to handle or circumvent;
A nasty problem
A good man to have on your side in a tight situation
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 05, 2023
Mean
To intend (something) for a given purpose or fate; to predestine.
Actually this desk was meant for the subeditor.
Man was not meant to question such things.
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 05, 2023
Nasty
Thoroughly unpleasant;
Filthy (or foul or nasty or vile) weather we're having
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 05, 2023
Mean
(transitive) To intend an ensuing comment or statement as an explanation.[https://www.lexico.com/en/definition/i_mean%20I%20mean]
Your reasoning seems needlessly abstruse, complex, and verbose for me. I mean, could you dumb it down for my sake?
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 05, 2023
Nasty
Characterized by obscenity;
Had a filthy mouth
Foul language
Smutty jokes
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 05, 2023
Nasty
Disgustingly dirty; filled or smeared with offensive matter;
As filthy as a pigsty
A foul pond
A nasty pigsty of a room
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Dec 05, 2023
Mean
(transitive) To convey (a given sense); to signify, or indicate (an object or idea).
The sky is red this morning—does that mean we're in for a storm?
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 05, 2023
Nasty
Highly unpleasant, especially to the senses
The nasty smell of rotten eggs filled the room.
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 06, 2023
Mean
(transitive) Of a word, symbol etc: to have reference to, to signify.
What does this hieroglyph mean?
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 05, 2023
Nasty
Behaving in an unpleasant, spiteful way
She received a nasty email from her coworker.
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 06, 2023
Mean
(transitive) Of a person (or animal etc): to intend to express, to imply, to hint at, to allude.
I'm afraid I don't understand what you mean.
He is a little different, if you know what I mean.
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 05, 2023
Nasty
Difficult or problematic
He found himself in a nasty situation at work.
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Dec 06, 2023
Mean
(transitive) To have conviction in (something said or expressed); to be sincere in (what one says).
Does she really mean what she said to him last night?
Say what you mean and mean what you say.
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 05, 2023
Mean
(transitive) To cause or produce (a given result); to bring about (a given result).
One faltering step means certain death.
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 05, 2023
Mean
(usually with to) To be of some level of importance.
That little dog meant everything to me.
Formality and titles mean nothing in their circle.
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 05, 2023
Mean
Of a common or low origin, grade, or quality; common; humble.
A man of mean parentage
A mean abode
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Dec 05, 2023
Mean
Low in quality or degree; inferior; poor; shabby.
A mean appearance
A mean dress
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 05, 2023
Mean
Without dignity of mind; destitute of honour; low-minded; spiritless; base.
A mean motive
It was mean of you to steal that little girl's piggy bank.
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 05, 2023
Mean
Of little value or worth; worthy of little or no regard; contemptible; despicable.
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 05, 2023
Mean
Ungenerous; stingy; tight-fisted.
He's so mean. I've never seen him spend so much as five pounds on presents for his children.
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 05, 2023
Mean
Intending to cause harm, successfully or otherwise; bearing ill will towards another.
Watch out for her, she's mean. I said good morning to her, and she punched me in the nose.
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 05, 2023
Mean
Powerful; fierce; strong.
It must have been a mean typhoon that levelled this town.
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Dec 05, 2023
Mean
(colloquial) Accomplished with great skill; deft; hard to compete with.
Your mother can roll a mean cigarette.
He hits a mean backhand.
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Dec 05, 2023
Mean
Having the mean (see noun below) as its value; average.
The mean family has 2.4 children.
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Dec 05, 2023
Mean
Something which is intermediate or in the middle; an intermediate value or range of values; a medium.
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Dec 05, 2023
Mean
The middle part of three-part polyphonic music; now specifically, the alto part in polyphonic music; an alto instrument.
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Dec 05, 2023
Mean
(statistics) The average of a set of values, calculated by summing them together and dividing by the number of terms; the arithmetic mean.
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Dec 05, 2023
Mean
(mathematics) Any function of multiple variables that satisfies certain properties and yields a number representative of its arguments; or, the number so yielded; a measure of central tendency.
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Dec 05, 2023
Mean
(mathematics) Either of the two numbers in the middle of a conventionally presented proportion, as 2 and 3 in 1:2=3:6.
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Dec 05, 2023
Mean
To have in the mind, as a purpose, intention, etc.; to intend; to purpose; to design; as, what do you mean to do?
What mean ye by this service ?
Ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good.
I am not a SpaniardTo say that it is yours and not to mean it.
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 05, 2023
Mean
To signify; to indicate; to import; to denote.
What mean these seven ewe lambs ?
Go ye, and learn what that meaneth.
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 05, 2023
Mean
Destitute of distinction or eminence; common; low; vulgar; humble.
The mean man boweth down, and the great man humbleth himself.
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Dec 05, 2023
Mean
Wanting dignity of mind; low-minded; base; destitute of honor; spiritless; as, a mean motive.
Can you imagine I so mean could prove,To save my life by changing of my love ?
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 05, 2023
Mean
Of little value or account; worthy of little or no regard; contemptible; despicable.
The Roman legions and great Cæsar foundOur fathers no mean foes.
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Dec 05, 2023
Mean
Occupying a middle position; middle; being about midway between extremes.
Being of middle age and a mean stature.
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Dec 05, 2023
Mean
Intermediate in excellence of any kind.
According to the fittest style of lofty, mean, or lowly.
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 05, 2023
Mean
Average; having an intermediate value between two extremes, or between the several successive values of a variable quantity during one cycle of variation; as, mean distance; mean motion; mean solar day.
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 05, 2023
Mean
That which is mean, or intermediate, between two extremes of place, time, or number; the middle point or place; middle rate or degree; mediocrity; medium; absence of extremes or excess; moderation; measure.
But to speak in a mean, the virtue of prosperity is temperance; the virtue of adversity is fortitude.
There is a mean in all things.
The extremes we have mentioned, between which the wellinstracted Christian holds the mean, are correlatives.
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 05, 2023
Mean
A quantity having an intermediate value between several others, from which it is derived, and of which it expresses the resultant value; usually, unless otherwise specified, it is the simple average, formed by adding the quantities together and dividing by their number, which is called an arithmetical mean. A geometrical mean is the nth root of the product of the n quantities being averaged.
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 05, 2023
Mean
That through which, or by the help of which, an end is attained; something tending to an object desired; intermediate agency or measure; necessary condition or coagent; instrument.
Their virtuous conversation was a mean to work the conversion of the heathen to Christ.
You may be able, by this mean, to review your own scientific acquirements.
Philosophical doubt is not an end, but a mean.
By this means he had them more at vantage.
What other means is left unto us.
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 05, 2023
Mean
Resources; property, revenue, or the like, considered as the condition of easy livelihood, or an instrumentality at command for effecting any purpose; disposable force or substance.
Your means are very slender, and your waste is great.
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 05, 2023
Mean
A part, whether alto or tenor, intermediate between the soprano and base; a middle part.
The mean is drowned with your unruly base.
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 05, 2023
Mean
A mediator; a go-between.
He wooeth her by means and by brokage.
If by any means I might attain to the resurrection of the dead.
The wine on this side of the lake is by no means so good as that on the other.
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 05, 2023
Mean
An average of n numbers computed by adding some function of the numbers and dividing by some function of n
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 05, 2023
Mean
Mean or intend to express or convey;
You never understand what I mean!
What do his words intend?
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 05, 2023
Mean
Have as a logical consequence;
The water shortage means that we have to stop taking long showers
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 05, 2023
Mean
Denote or connote;
`maison' means `house' in French
An example sentence would show what this word means
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Dec 05, 2023
Mean
Have in mind as a purpose;
I mean no harm
I only meant to help you
She didn't think to harm me
We thought to return early that night
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 05, 2023
Mean
Have a specified degree of importance;
My ex-husband means nothing to me
Happiness means everything
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 05, 2023
Mean
Intend to refer to;
I'm thinking of good food when I talk about France
Yes, I meant you when I complained about people who gossip!
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Dec 05, 2023
Mean
Destine or designate for a certain purpose;
These flowers were meant for you
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Dec 05, 2023
Mean
Approximating the statistical norm or average or expected value;
The average income in New England is below that of the nation
Of average height for his age
The mean annual rainfall
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Dec 05, 2023
Mean
Having or showing an ignoble lack of honor or morality;
That liberal obedience without which your army would be a base rabble
Taking a mean advantage
Chok'd with ambition of the meaner sort
Something essentially vulgar and meanspirited in politics
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Dec 05, 2023
Mean
Marked by poverty befitting a beggar;
A beggarly existence in the slums
A mean hut
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Dec 05, 2023
Mean
Used of persons or behavior; characterized by or indicative of lack of generosity;
A mean person
He left a miserly tip
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Dec 05, 2023
Mean
Inferior in quality or status
He comes from a mean background but achieved great success.
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Dec 06, 2023
Mean
Intend to convey or signify
What do you mean when you say 'revolutionary'?
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Dec 06, 2023
Repeatedly Asked Queries
Are "mean" and "nasty" interchangeable?
They can be in some contexts, but "nasty" is usually more severe.
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 13, 2023
Does "nasty" always imply physical disgust?
Not always. It can also describe moral offensiveness or difficult situations.
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 13, 2023
Can "mean" be used in a positive context?
Rarely. It's usually negative except in mathematical terms where it refers to an average.
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 13, 2023
Is "nasty" stronger than "mean"?
Generally, yes. "Nasty" often implies a higher degree of offensiveness or harm.
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 13, 2023
Does "mean" have different meanings in different cultures?
Its interpretation can vary slightly, but unkindness is a universal concept.
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 13, 2023
Is "mean" used in formal writing?
It can be, but its use depends on the context and tone of the writing.
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 13, 2023
Can someone be unintentionally mean?
Yes, sometimes people are mean without realizing the impact of their actions.
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 13, 2023
Can objects be nasty?
Yes, especially if they are unpleasant to the senses or in condition.
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 13, 2023
Is "nasty" used in medical contexts?
Yes, often to describe severe symptoms or unpleasant medical conditions.
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 13, 2023
Can weather be described as mean?
Less commonly. "Nasty" is more frequently used for weather.
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 13, 2023
Does "nasty" imply intention?
Often, but not always. It can also describe unfortunate circumstances.
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 13, 2023
Is "nasty" used in legal contexts?
It can be, often to describe objectionable actions or conditions.
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 13, 2023
Is "nasty" ever used in a joking manner?
Rarely, as it often has a strong negative connotation.
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 13, 2023
Is "nasty" an old-fashioned term?
No, it's still widely used in contemporary language.
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 13, 2023
Do "mean" and "nasty" have synonyms?
Yes, many, but each synonym carries its own connotations.
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 13, 2023
Can "mean" relate to intelligence?
Not directly. It's more about behavior than intellect.
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 13, 2023
Can animals be described as mean?
Yes, especially if they show aggression or unfriendliness.
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 13, 2023
Can "mean" describe physical attributes?
Less commonly. It's primarily about behavior or quality.
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 13, 2023
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About Author
Written by
Shumaila SaeedShumaila Saeed, an expert content creator with 6 years of experience, specializes in distilling complex topics into easily digestible comparisons, shining a light on the nuances that both inform and educate readers with clarity and accuracy.
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