| Main Entry: | sleaze factor |
| Part of Speech: | n |
| Definition: | that part of a situation that is corrupt, sordid, or controversial |
| Etymology: | sleaze 'vulgarity' + factor |
sleaze factor
The element in a political party, administration, or other organization that is corrupt, controversial, or tainted by scandal. For example, I can't see myself making a campaign contribution to them
there's too much of a sleaze factor. This slangy expression derives from the adjective sleazy, which means "vulgar" or "tawdry." The idiom was first used in politics in the 1980s.