Shabby

Quick meaning: Shabby is an adjective meaning Of clothing, a place, etc.: unkempt and worn or otherwise in poor condition due to age or neglect; scruffy.

Meaning

Of clothing, a place, etc.: unkempt and worn or otherwise in poor condition due to age or neglect; scruffy.

More Meanings

1. Of a person: wearing ragged or very worn, and often dirty, clothing.
2. Of a person, their behaviour, etc.: despicable, mean; also, not generous; stingy, tight-fisted.
3. Poor in quality; also, showing little effort or talent.
4. (transitive) To make (something) shabby (adjective sense 1); to shabbify.
5. (intransitive) To become shabby; to shabbify.

Example Sentences

They lived in a tiny apartment, with some old, shabby furniture.

The fellow arrived looking rather shabby after journeying so far.

[They] lived […] in one of the shabbiest streets in the debatable land between Pimlico and Chelsea—by courtesy, South Belgravia.

[A]s there was a stream of people pouring into a shabby house not far from the entrance, he waited until they had made their way in, […]

Word Forms

• shabbier
• shabbiest
• shabbies
• shabbying
• shabbied

Synonyms for shabby

Depending on context, synonyms include decrepit, moth-eaten, run-down, timeworn, tired, tacky.

Related Words

Related dictionary entries include worn, dishonorable, dishonourable, ratty, tatty, moth-eaten.

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