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
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
Rima Parikh, Vulture, 5 Oct. 2025
Once known for dowdy packaging and perhaps questionable tastes or ingredients, the products now compete with national name brands, sparking a shakeup among major food companies.
—Jordan Valinsky, CNN Money, 24 Sep. 2025
Defense leaders have sat on their hands, refusing to acknowledge the need for dowdy, run-of-the-mill tankers.
—Craig Hooper, Forbes.com, 26 Aug. 2025
Machi plays a dowdy tax inspector closing in on a Shakira-style Latina singer for tax fraud.
—Marta Balaga, Variety, 15 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for dowdy
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Adjective
Bonus points for Sarah Sherman’s dowdy character, who accidentally got on the Epstein list.
—Rima Parikh, Vulture, 5 Oct. 2025
Once known for dowdy packaging and perhaps questionable tastes or ingredients, the products now compete with national name brands, sparking a shakeup among major food companies.
—Jordan Valinsky, CNN Money, 24 Sep. 2025
Defense leaders have sat on their hands, refusing to acknowledge the need for dowdy, run-of-the-mill tankers.
—Craig Hooper, Forbes.com, 26 Aug. 2025
Machi plays a dowdy tax inspector closing in on a Shakira-style Latina singer for tax fraud.
—Marta Balaga, Variety, 15 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for dowdy
Cite this Entry
“Dowdy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dowdy. Accessed 31 Oct. 2025.
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