Mean vs. Nasty: What's the Difference?
Edited by Aimie Carlson || By Janet White || Updated on September 27, 2023
Mean often denotes someone who's unkind or unpleasant, while Nasty refers to something unpleasant, vile, or offensively disagreeable.
Key Differences
Mean, when referring to a person's character, implies a lack of kindness or compassion, often manifesting as cruel or spiteful behavior. On the other hand, Nasty usually touches upon something's unpleasant or objectionable nature, whether it be in taste, appearance, or demeanor.
In many contexts, Mean may be used to highlight a person's intention to cause harm or discomfort, either emotionally or physically. Whereas, Nasty often emphasizes an intrinsic repulsive quality, be it in terms of a situation, environment, or an object.
For example, a person can be described as mean if they intentionally belittle others, making them feel inferior. In contrast, a substance, like a medicine, might be described as nasty if it tastes horrible, even though it's beneficial.
While both terms can sometimes be used interchangeably, especially when describing someone's disposition, the nuances differ. Someone being mean might deliberately leave out a colleague from a gathering, whereas a nasty comment is one that is distastefully severe and hurts the recipient.
In daily conversations, a child might be told not to be mean to their siblings, emphasizing not to act unkindly. In a different situation, the same child might be warned about a nasty bruise they've gotten, focusing on its unpleasant appearance.
ADVERTISEMENT
Comparison Chart
Definition
Referring to unkind or unpleasant behavior.
Describing something as unpleasant, vile, or disagreeable.
Scope
Often associated with human behavior.
Broadly used for situations, objects, and behaviors.
Intent
Indicates intent to cause harm or discomfort.
Highlights an intrinsic unpleasant quality.
Example Area
Personal relations, character traits.
Taste, appearance, situations.
Severity
Can range from mild to severe unkindness.
Typically strong in its negative connotation.
ADVERTISEMENT
Mean and Nasty Definitions
Mean
Showing unkindness or hostility.
She was mean to her little brother.
Nasty
Highly unpleasant, especially to the senses.
That's a nasty word; don't use it.
Mean
Stingy or miserly.
He's too mean to donate any money.
Nasty
Showing a deliberate desire to harm or upset.
The weather took a nasty turn.
Mean
To be used to convey; denote
"'The question is,' said Alice, 'whether you can make words mean so many different things'" (Lewis Carroll).
Nasty
He made a nasty remark about her dress.
Unfavorable or unwelcome.
Mean
To act as a symbol of; signify or represent
In this poem, the budding flower means youth.
Nasty
Causing great harm or difficulty; severe.
She had a nasty fall and broke her leg.
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).
Nasty
Disgusting or repellent
A nasty odor rising from the garbage can.
Mean
To have as a purpose or an intention; intend
I meant to go running this morning, but I overslept.
Nasty
Unpleasantly cold or wet
Nasty weather.
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.
Nasty
(Archaic) Dirty; filthy.
Mean
To have as a consequence; bring about
Friction means heat.
Nasty
Morally offensive or indecent
A nasty film.
Mean
To have the importance or value of
The opinions of the critics meant nothing to him. She meant so much to me.
Nasty
Unpleasant or annoying
A nasty habit.
Mean
To have intentions of a specified kind; be disposed
They mean well but lack tact.
Nasty
Mean or spiteful
Stop being nasty to each other.
Mean
Lacking in kindness; unkind
The teacher was not being mean in asking you to be quiet.
Nasty
Painful or dangerous; grave
A nasty accident.
Mean
Cruel, spiteful, or malicious
A mean boy who liked to make fun of others.
Nasty
Exasperatingly difficult to solve or handle
A nasty puzzle.
A nasty problem.
Mean
Expressing spite or malice
Gave me a mean look.
Nasty
One that is nasty
"It is the business of museums to present us with nasties as well as with fine things" (Country Life).
Mean
Tending toward or characterized by cruelty or violence
Mean streets.
Nasty
Dirty, filthy.
Mean
Extremely unpleasant or disagreeable
The meanest storm in years.
Nasty
Contemptible, unpleasant (of a person).
Mean
Ignoble; base
A mean motive. ].
Nasty
Objectionable, unpleasant (of a thing); repellent, offensive.
Mean
Occupying a middle or intermediate position between two extremes.
Nasty
Indecent or offensive; obscene, lewd.
Mean
Intermediate in size, extent, quality, time, or degree; medium.
Nasty
Spiteful, unkind.
Mean
Something having a position, quality, or condition midway between extremes; a medium.
Nasty
Awkward, difficult to navigate; dangerous.
Mean
A number that typifies a set of numbers, such as a geometric mean or an arithmetic mean.
Nasty
Grave or dangerous (of an accident, illness etc.).
Mean
The average value of a set of numbers.
Nasty
Formidable, terrific; wicked.
Mean
(Logic) The middle term in a syllogism.
Nasty
(informal) Something nasty.
Processed foods are full of aspartame and other nasties.
This video game involves flying through a maze zapping various nasties.
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.
Nasty
Sexual intercourse.
Mean
Money, property, or other wealth
You ought to live within your means.
Nasty
A video nasty.
Mean
Great wealth
A woman of means.
Nasty
Offensively filthy; very dirty, foul, or defiled; disgusting; nauseous.
Mean
To intend.
Nasty
Hence, loosely: Offensive; disagreeable; unpropitious; wet; drizzling; as, a nasty rain, day, sky.
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.
Nasty
Characterized by obscenity; indecent; indelicate; gross; filthy.
Mean
(intransitive) To have as intentions of a given kind.
Don't be angry; she meant well.
Nasty
Vicious; offensively ill-tempered; insultingly mean; spiteful; as, a nasty disposition.
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.
Nasty
Difficult to deal with; troublesome; as, he fell of his bike and got a nasty bruise on his knee.
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?
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?
Mean
To convey (a meaning).
Nasty
Exasperatingly difficult to handle or circumvent;
A nasty problem
A good man to have on your side in a tight situation
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?
Nasty
Thoroughly unpleasant;
Filthy (or foul or nasty or vile) weather we're having
Mean
(transitive) Of a word, symbol etc: to have reference to, to signify.
What does this hieroglyph mean?
Nasty
Characterized by obscenity;
Had a filthy mouth
Foul language
Smutty jokes
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.
Nasty
Disgustingly dirty; filled or smeared with offensive matter;
As filthy as a pigsty
A foul pond
A nasty pigsty of a room
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.
Nasty
The medicine had a nasty taste.
Obscene or indecent.
Mean
(transitive) To cause or produce (a given result); to bring about (a given result).
One faltering step means certain death.
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.
Mean
To lament.
Mean
(obsolete) Common; general.
Mean
Of a common or low origin, grade, or quality; common; humble.
A man of mean parentage
A mean abode
Mean
Low in quality or degree; inferior; poor; shabby.
A mean appearance
A mean dress
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.
Mean
Of little value or worth; worthy of little or no regard; contemptible; despicable.
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.
Mean
Disobliging; pettily offensive or unaccommodating.
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.
Mean
Powerful; fierce; strong.
It must have been a mean typhoon that levelled this town.
Mean
(colloquial) Accomplished with great skill; deft; hard to compete with.
Your mother can roll a mean cigarette.
He hits a mean backhand.
Mean
Difficult, tricky.
This problem is mean!
Mean
Having the mean (see noun below) as its value; average.
The mean family has 2.4 children.
Mean
(obsolete) Middling; intermediate; moderately good, tolerable.
Mean
A method or course of action used to achieve some result.
Mean
An intermediate step or intermediate steps.
Mean
Something which is intermediate or in the middle; an intermediate value or range of values; a medium.
Mean
The middle part of three-part polyphonic music; now specifically, the alto part in polyphonic music; an alto instrument.
Mean
(statistics) The average of a set of values, calculated by summing them together and dividing by the number of terms; the arithmetic mean.
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.
Mean
(mathematics) Either of the two numbers in the middle of a conventionally presented proportion, as 2 and 3 in 1:2=3:6.
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.
Mean
To signify; to indicate; to import; to denote.
What mean these seven ewe lambs ?
Go ye, and learn what that meaneth.
Mean
To have a purpose or intention.
Mean
Destitute of distinction or eminence; common; low; vulgar; humble.
The mean man boweth down, and the great man humbleth himself.
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 ?
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.
Mean
Of poor quality; as, mean fare.
Mean
Penurious; stingy; close-fisted; illiberal; as, mean hospitality.
Mean
Occupying a middle position; middle; being about midway between extremes.
Being of middle age and a mean stature.
Mean
Intermediate in excellence of any kind.
According to the fittest style of lofty, mean, or lowly.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Mean
A part, whether alto or tenor, intermediate between the soprano and base; a middle part.
The mean is drowned with your unruly base.
Mean
Meantime; meanwhile.
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.
Mean
An average of n numbers computed by adding some function of the numbers and dividing by some function of n
Mean
Mean or intend to express or convey;
You never understand what I mean!
What do his words intend?
Mean
Have as a logical consequence;
The water shortage means that we have to stop taking long showers
Mean
Denote or connote;
`maison' means `house' in French
An example sentence would show what this word means
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
Mean
Have a specified degree of importance;
My ex-husband means nothing to me
Happiness means everything
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!
Mean
Destine or designate for a certain purpose;
These flowers were meant for you
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
Mean
Characterized by malice;
A hateful thing to do
In a mean mood
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
Mean
Excellent;
Famous for a mean backhand
Mean
Marked by poverty befitting a beggar;
A beggarly existence in the slums
A mean hut
Mean
Used of persons or behavior; characterized by or indicative of lack of generosity;
A mean person
He left a miserly tip
Mean
Used of sums of money; so small in amount as to deserve contempt
Mean
A value obtained by dividing the sum of several quantities by their number; arithmetic average.
The mean score of the class was 85.
Mean
Of low quality; inferior.
The fabric was of mean quality.
Mean
Indicating an intention or purpose.
What do you mean by that comment?
FAQs
Can Mean be used in mathematics?
Yes, mean refers to the arithmetic average of numbers.
Can weather be described as Nasty?
Yes, nasty weather means unfavorable or harsh conditions.
Is Mean always negative?
Most commonly, but in statistics, "mean" is neutral, referring to average.
Can an injury be described as Nasty?
Yes, indicating it looks severe or unpleasant.
Is a Mean person always Nasty?
Not necessarily, but their behavior can sometimes be described as both.
Can Nasty describe a taste?
Absolutely, something can have a nasty taste, meaning it's very unpleasant.
Can you call a quality of a product Mean?
Yes, if it's of low or inferior quality.
Is being frugal the same as being Mean?
Not necessarily. Mean can mean miserly, but frugality isn't always negative.
Can you say someone has a Mean streak?
Yes, suggesting they occasionally exhibit unkind behavior.
Are Mean and Nasty synonyms?
They can be, especially in the context of behavior, but often carry different nuances.
Can a joke be Mean?
Yes, if it's intended to belittle or hurt someone.
Can a situation be Nasty?
Yes, implying it's difficult, tricky, or unpleasant.
Can a Nasty comment be unintentional?
Yes, but it would still be hurtful or distasteful to the listener.
Does Nasty always imply malicious intent?
Not always. Something can be nasty without intent, like a taste or smell.
Can you describe a smell as Nasty?
Yes, indicating it's very unpleasant.
About Author
Written by
Janet WhiteJanet White has been an esteemed writer and blogger for Difference Wiki. Holding a Master's degree in Science and Medical Journalism from the prestigious Boston University, she has consistently demonstrated her expertise and passion for her field. When she's not immersed in her work, Janet relishes her time exercising, delving into a good book, and cherishing moments with friends and family.
Edited by
Aimie CarlsonAimie Carlson, holding a master's degree in English literature, is a fervent English language enthusiast. She lends her writing talents to Difference Wiki, a prominent website that specializes in comparisons, offering readers insightful analyses that both captivate and inform.
