shaggy

adjective

shag·​gy ˈsha-gē 

shaggier; shaggiest

1

a

: covered with or consisting of long, coarse, or matted hair

b

: covered with or consisting of thick, tangled, or unkempt vegetation

c

: having a rough nap, texture, or surface

d

: having hairlike processes

2

a

: unkempt

b

: confused or unclear in conception or thinking

shaggy ideas

a shaggy argument

shaggily

ˈsha-gə-lē 

adverb

shagginess

ˈsha-gē-nəs 

noun

Synonyms of shaggy

• hairy
• silky

Examples of shaggy in a Sentence

a big, shaggy dog kept trying to lick my face

a shaggy carpet that was a relic of the 1970s

Recent Examples on the Web

The look was completed with a side part and shaggy bangs. —Anna Kaufman, USA Today, 10 Mar. 2026

Velasquez says that shaggy layers are a great way to give natural curls movement and life. —Audrey Noble, InStyle, 10 Mar. 2026

The gargantuan Loderi King George rhododendron stood four or five times my height, shaggy with giant effusive blooms of the palest pink. —Amy Waldman, Travel + Leisure, 9 Mar. 2026

Unlike typical mice with short gray-brown coats, these woolly mice have long dirty-blond hair that mimics the shaggy fur that helped protect mammoths from the Arctic cold. —Rob Stein, NPR, 4 Mar. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1581, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing shaggy

• shaggy-dog
• shaggy-dog story

Rhymes for shaggy

• aggie
• baggy
• craggy
• flaggy
• scraggy

Kids Definition

shaggy

adjective

shag·​gy ˈshag-ē 

shaggier; shaggiest

1

: covered with or made up of long, coarse, or tangled growth

2

: having a rough or hairy surface

shaggily

ˈshag-ə-lē 

adverb

shagginess

ˈshag-ē-nəs 

noun