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 compromises …—
Nat Hentoff
Nat Hentoff
b
: ungenerous, unfair
… laments the shabby way in which this country often treated a poet …—Paul Engle
Paul Engle
c
: inferior in quality
shabby reasoning
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
Rentals tend to be shabby and worn-out, so choosing a home with the latest and greatest felt like a way to make the experience hassle-free.
—Jason Fried, The Atlantic, 7 Feb. 2026
At back was a shabby hearse with expired registration.
—Jesse Bedayn, Denver Post, 5 Feb. 2026
Two fake firsts, seconds, and salary filler to get Anthony Davis and Trae Young is not too shabby.
—Sportsday Staff, Dallas Morning News, 4 Feb. 2026
Not too shabby for not being formally trained; the duo learned everything online by researching and reaching out to chocolatiers to perfect their technique.
—Brock Keeling, Oc Register, 4 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for shabby
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Jason Fried, The Atlantic, 7 Feb. 2026
At back was a shabby hearse with expired registration.
—Jesse Bedayn, Denver Post, 5 Feb. 2026
Two fake firsts, seconds, and salary filler to get Anthony Davis and Trae Young is not too shabby.
—Sportsday Staff, Dallas Morning News, 4 Feb. 2026
Not too shabby for not being formally trained; the duo learned everything online by researching and reaching out to chocolatiers to perfect their technique.
—Brock Keeling, Oc Register, 4 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for shabby
Cite this Entry
“Shabby.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/shabby. Accessed 12 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
shabby
adjective
shab·by
ˈshab-ē 
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
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