shabby

adjective

shab·​by ˈsha-bē How to pronounce shabby (audio)
shabbier; shabbiest
1
: clothed with worn or seedy garments
a shabby hobo
2
a
: threadbare and faded from wear
a shabby sofa
b
: ill-kept : dilapidated
a shabby neighborhood
3
a
: mean, despicable, contemptible
must feel shabby … because of his compromisesNat Hentoff
b
: ungenerous, unfair
laments the shabby way in which this country often treated a poetPaul Engle
c
: inferior in quality
shabby reasoning
shabbily adverb
shabbiness noun

Examples of shabby in a Sentence

The furniture was old and shabby. He wore a shabby coat. Her first apartment was pretty shabby. They complained about the shabby treatment they received at the hotel. Backing out of the deal was a shabby thing to do.
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.
Their physical features can be shabby to the point of scandal: mad spacing, pagination mixups, microscopic type. Thomas Mallon, New Yorker, 30 June 2025 The accommodations could have formerly been described as shabby chic or Spartan, but Peregrine is intent on changing that impression--upgrading the aesthetic appeal and functionality of its 345 guest rooms. David Weiss, Forbes.com, 27 June 2025 Many of them had recently moved to the capital city of Honiara, a shabby port on Guadalcanal, in search of jobs. Pete McKenzie, Harpers Magazine, 18 June 2025 During one lunch hour, Walter Matthau appeared in a shabby overcoat. James Barron, New York Times, 14 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for shabby

Word History

Etymology

obsolete English shab a low fellow

First Known Use

1669, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of shabby was in 1669

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Cite this Entry

“Shabby.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/shabby. Accessed 10 Jul. 2025.

Kids Definition

shabby

adjective
shab·​by ˈshab-ē How to pronounce shabby (audio)
shabbier; shabbiest
1
: dressed in worn clothes
2
a
: worn and faded from wear
a shabby sofa
b
: ill kept : dilapidated
shabby houses
3
: not fair or generous
shabby treatment
shabbily adverb
shabbiness noun

More from Merriam-Webster on shabby

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