slovenly

play

adjective slov·en·ly \ ˈslə-vən-lē also ˈslä- \

Definition of slovenly

1 a :untidy especially in personal appearance

b :lazily slipshod

slovenly in thought

2 :characteristic of a sloven

slovenly habits

—

slovenliness

noun

—

slovenly

adverb

See slovenly defined for English-language learners

See slovenly defined for kids

Examples of slovenly in a Sentence

He dressed in a slovenly manner.
for the sake of their image, the band members transformed themselves from clean-cut lads to slovenly rockers

Recent Examples of slovenly from the Web

Quinn’s slovenly, entitled boss and sometime lover, Chet, played by Craig Bierko, is a sloppy, sweatpants-wearing embodiment of gender double standards among TV honchos.

— jeremy egner, New York Times, "‘UnREAL’ Returns on Lifetime With a Provocative Twist JUNE 5, 2016," 3 June 2016
Ultimately, I was no longer held hostage to another person's slovenly, ungrateful consumerism.

— emma johnson, ELLE Decor, "The 3 Things You Should Never Keep After A Breakup," 30 Sep. 2015

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'slovenly.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

First Known Use of slovenly

circa 1568

slovenly Synonyms

Synonyms

blowsy (also blowzy), dowdy, frowsy (or frowzy), slobbish, slobby, sloven, sloppy, unkempt, untidy

Antonyms

dapper, dashing, dolled up, sharp, smart, spruce

Related Words

slatternly; chaotic, cluttered, confused, disarranged, disheveled (or dishevelled), disordered, messed, messy, muddled, mussed, mussy, rumpled, shaggy, uncombed, wrinkled; shabby, sleazy; besmirched, blackened, dingy, dirty, filthy, foul, grimy, grubby, grungy, mucky, nasty, scroungy, scuzzy [slang], soiled, spotted, squalid, stained, sullied, unclean, uncleanly

Near Antonyms

chic, fashionable, modish, stylish; combed, groomed; neat, ordered, orderly, tidy; careful, fastidious, fussy, meticulous; clean, cleaned, cleanly, immaculate, sparkling, spotless, stainless, unsoiled, unsullied

SLOVENLY Defined for English Language Learners

slovenly

play

adjective

Definition of slovenly for English Language Learners

: messy or untidy
: done in a careless way

SLOVENLY Defined for Kids

slovenly

play

adjective slov·en·ly \ ˈslə-vən-lē \

Definition of slovenly for Students

1 :personally untidy

2 :very careless

Learn More about slovenly

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for slovenly Spanish Central: Translation of slovenly Nglish: Translation of slovenly for Spanish speakers

Seen and Heard

What made you want to look up slovenly? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).

show

slovenly

Definition of slovenly

slovenliness

slovenly

Explore Merriam-Webster

Examples of slovenly in a Sentence

Recent Examples of slovenly from the Web

First Known Use of slovenly

slovenly Synonyms

Synonyms

Antonyms

Related Words

Near Antonyms

SLOVENLY Defined for English Language Learners

slovenly

Definition of slovenly for English Language Learners

SLOVENLY Defined for Kids

slovenly

Definition of slovenly for Students

Learn More about slovenly

Seen and Heard

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Words at Play

Ask the Editors

Word Games

Breathing Life Into 'Inspire'

Trending: Kim Jong Un: Trump a 'Dotard'

These Are Fighting Words

Merriam-Webster's New Words Quiz—Fall 2017 Edition!

Words of the Year: 1066