dowdier; dowdiest
1
: not neat or becoming in appearance : shabby
a dowdy old hat
2
a
: lacking smartness or taste
a dowdy room
b
: old-fashioned
a dowdy institution
Synonyms
Examples of dowdy in a Sentence
Adjective
She played a dowdy old woman in the film.
the dowdy, beat-up furniture at the cheap motel
Recent Examples on the Web
Maureen Lee Lenker, EW.com, 8 Sep. 2024
If my headlamp had been a bit more dowdy and old-fashioned—say, if it were fitted out with Energizer batteries—that would have made my life a little better.
—Ian Bogost, The Atlantic, 31 July 2024
Over the years, the Miramar turned dowdy but continued to receive guests until 2000.
—Deborah Belgum, WWD, 3 Sep. 2019
Shame is doffed like a dowdy jacket; the body is unequivocally embraced.
—Sara Holdren, Vulture, 7 Feb. 2024
See all Example Sentences for dowdy 
Adjective
Sweeney plays against type as a meek, dowdy wife fighting to find her voice.
—Maureen Lee Lenker, EW.com, 8 Sep. 2024
If my headlamp had been a bit more dowdy and old-fashioned—say, if it were fitted out with Energizer batteries—that would have made my life a little better.
—Ian Bogost, The Atlantic, 31 July 2024
Over the years, the Miramar turned dowdy but continued to receive guests until 2000.
—Deborah Belgum, WWD, 3 Sep. 2019
Shame is doffed like a dowdy jacket; the body is unequivocally embraced.
—Sara Holdren, Vulture, 7 Feb. 2024
See all Example Sentences for dowdy
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'dowdy.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near dowdy
Cite this Entry
“Dowdy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dowdy. Accessed 20 Sep. 2024.
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