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
But the 2016 cast was not too shabby: Charlie Blackmon and Nolan Arenado each hit two, and DJ LeMahieu, Gerardo Para, and Carlos Gonzalez each hit one.
—Patrick Saunders, Denver Post, 17 June 2025
There are various apartments shown in the film, and the sharp contrasts between the interior of a penthouse belonging to Harry (Pedro Pascal) and the shabby digs that John (Chris Evans) shares with roommates are absurd, and true to life.
—Abigail Lee, Variety, 16 June 2025
Concert Hall Credenza Save over $1,700 on this shabby chic credenza.
—Shea Simmons, Southern Living, 27 Apr. 2025
In one final indignity, McDermott was removed from a tournament clubhouse for wearing shabby clothing.
—Tim Corlett, Forbes.com, 9 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for shabby
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Patrick Saunders, Denver Post, 17 June 2025
There are various apartments shown in the film, and the sharp contrasts between the interior of a penthouse belonging to Harry (Pedro Pascal) and the shabby digs that John (Chris Evans) shares with roommates are absurd, and true to life.
—Abigail Lee, Variety, 16 June 2025
Concert Hall Credenza Save over $1,700 on this shabby chic credenza.
—Shea Simmons, Southern Living, 27 Apr. 2025
In one final indignity, McDermott was removed from a tournament clubhouse for wearing shabby clothing.
—Tim Corlett, Forbes.com, 9 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for shabby
Cite this Entry
“Shabby.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/shabby. Accessed 8 Jul. 2025.
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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