slovenly

adjective

slov·en·ly | \ ˈslə-vən-lē also ˈslä-

Definition of slovenly

1a : untidy especially in personal appearance

b : lazily slipshod slovenly in thought

2 : characteristic of a sloven slovenly habits

Other Words from slovenly Synonyms & Antonyms More Example Sentences Learn More about slovenly

Keep scrolling for more

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 on the Web

Be a little slovenly in the garden; leave some old broken stems and let a little bare dirt show. — Hannah Nordhaus, WSJ, "‘Buzz’ and ‘Our Native Bees’ Review: Give Bees a Chance," 12 July 2018 People think junkies and alcoholics are slovenly, unmotivated people. — Tyler Mccarthy, Fox News, "Simon Pegg opens up about his struggle with alcoholism and recovery: 'It was just terrible'," 10 July 2018 Christopher Oram has designed a picturesque, if slovenly, storybook cottage of a set. — Ben Brantley, New York Times, "Orlando Bloom and Aidan Turner Are Drenched in Blood in London," 4 July 2018 The stiff-legged chair and shapeless pillow combine to suggest a slovenly human form. — Robert Campbell, BostonGlobe.com, "Looking at architecture from the inside out," 10 May 2018 Yet sweatpants seem too slovenly for everyday wear. — Jacob Gallagher, WSJ, "Can Men Wear Sweatpants to a Fancy Party Now?," 1 May 2018 From Brooklyn hipsters to the nice people of Dallas, who desperately want to be perceived as urban sophisticates, the new uniform is simply a more comfortable replacement (more slovenly, many would say) for the old uniform. — Kevin D. Williamson, National Review, "Devil May Care," 10 Jan. 2018 Without the proper collar, the no-tie, unbuttoned shirt look can come off as slovenly rather than stylish. — Ray A. Smith, WSJ, "Doing Without a Tie? A Guide to Collars That Can Stand Alone," 5 July 2017 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

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.