ashier; ashiest
1
: covered with or containing ashes
ashy smoke
ashy residue
ashy soil
the ashy remains of the burned building
… the forest opened up into a giant burn scar, with the blackened skeletons of trees stretching down an ashy hillside.Morgan McFall-Johnsen
2
a
: suggestive of or resembling ashes (as in color)
ashy grays
an ashy smell/taste
She wore her hair down in long ashy blonde waves that reached her hips.Alyssa K. Davis
especially : very pale (as from fright or illness) : ashen
Symptoms that clinicians should advise their patients to look out for include slowed breathing and skin turning ashy or blue. Maya Yang
b
African American English : of or relating to the grayish or whitish appearance of very dry skin
used especially to describe this condition in people with a skin pigmentation that is darker than what is typically considered white (see white entry 1 sense 2a)
Ashy skin is caused by a lack of moisture, which leaves your skin dehydrated. It can appear on essentially any part of your skin. It's also common for the skin on your arms, legs, and face to become dehydrated and ashy.Eleesha Lockett
Vaseline has long been a staple in Black medicine cabinets, healing everything from chapped lips to ashy elbows.Angela Johnson
Excessively cleaning my hands could result in dry, cracked skin, but I've been able to prevent them from becoming chapped and ashy with my arsenal of moisturizing hand creams and balms.Jennifer Ford

Examples of ashy in a Sentence

paramedics knew she was in shock because she was ashy and shaking
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Luckily, the tears are broken up, but Sufia wipes her ashy hands all over everyone’s clothes. Brian Moylan, Vulture, 29 Oct. 2024 Her roots are a darker shade than the mid-lengths and ends, evolving from a light ashy brunette at the root to a honey-blonde shade. Kara Nesvig, Allure, 28 Oct. 2024 Another child reaches into the remnants and starts to taste an ashy piece of wood. Jackie Mader, The Christian Science Monitor, 15 Oct. 2024 There are an array of good ones on the market, just be sure to trim the wick to prevent an ashy imprint on your paintwork. Hannah Coates, Vogue, 25 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for ashy 

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of ashy was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near ashy

Cite this Entry

“Ashy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ashy. Accessed 1 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

ashy

adjective
ashier; ashiest
1
: of, relating to, or resembling ashes
2
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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