1
as in sloppy
lacking neatness in dress or person
a dowdy old matron
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in inappropriate
marked by an obvious lack of style or good taste
the dowdy, beat-up furniture at the cheap motel
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of dowdy
Defense leaders have sat on their hands, refusing to acknowledge the need for dowdy, run-of-the-mill tankers.
—
Craig Hooper, Forbes.com, 26 Aug. 2025
Machi plays a dowdy tax inspector closing in on a Shakira-style Latina singer for tax fraud.
—Marta Balaga, Variety, 15 May 2025
The dowdy and shy Ursula is diabetic and has lost her eyesight in one eye.
—Michelle F. Solomon, Miami Herald, 15 May 2025
Sadly for such drivers, though, the only mainstream hybrids available in North America are dowdy family cars and boxy SUVs.
—IEEE Spectrum, 31 Mar. 2010
See All Example Sentences for dowdy
Craig Hooper, Forbes.com, 26 Aug. 2025
Machi plays a dowdy tax inspector closing in on a Shakira-style Latina singer for tax fraud.
—Marta Balaga, Variety, 15 May 2025
The dowdy and shy Ursula is diabetic and has lost her eyesight in one eye.
—Michelle F. Solomon, Miami Herald, 15 May 2025
Sadly for such drivers, though, the only mainstream hybrids available in North America are dowdy family cars and boxy SUVs.
—IEEE Spectrum, 31 Mar. 2010
See All Example Sentences for dowdy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dowdy
Adjective
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The soft knit fabric drapes just right, giving that relaxed vibe without looking sloppy.—
Chaise Sanders,
Travel + Leisure,
8 Nov. 2025
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Practice had been a bit a sloppy at times, but San Diego State coach Brian Dutcher had a wide smile anyway Thursday afternoon.—
Mark Zeigler,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
7 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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The class counsel has argued that objectors are raising either points that were already decided, inappropriate for this forum, or unreasonable to address.—
Daniel Libit,
Sportico.com,
5 Nov. 2025
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But some former students recently accused Gabbard, whose name is on the high school gym floor, of inappropriate conduct.—
Victoria Moorwood,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
5 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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After Frost’s retirement in 2001, with conglomerates having become deeply unfashionable, other parts of the company were sold and Hays became a focused staffing and recruitment business.—
Ian King,
CNBC,
8 Oct. 2025
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Whatever Gentiles might have thought in private, the Nazis had made overt antisemitism unfashionable, even odious.—
Ian Buruma,
New Yorker,
22 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Few pieces of decor are as dreamy as the ones covered in faux fur, and this shaggy beanbag chair is no exception.—
Erika Owen,
Architectural Digest,
30 Oct. 2025
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For the event, the actor returned to his shaggy crew cut in his honey blonde hue — coordinating his 'stache and all.—
Skyler Caruso,
PEOPLE,
30 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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That wing is usually reserved for prisoners who are considered unsuitable to be kept among the prison’s general population, usually out of fears for their safety.—
Joseph Ataman,
CNN Money,
10 Nov. 2025
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But the movie only gives tiny little tastes of 1982 rock culture, and why Nebraska was so comically unsuitable for airplay.—
Rob Sheffield,
Rolling Stone,
2 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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Yet like many other Z&L endeavors in San Jose, that project has fizzled, and the old church remains a forlorn structure next to an unkempt field in downtown San Jose.—
George Avalos,
Mercury News,
23 Oct. 2025
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They’ve been stigmatized as unkempt or unprofessional, banned in schools and workplaces through discriminatory policies that the CROWN Act was created to dismantle.—
Jailynn Tayor,
Essence,
21 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Using incorrect or false case references in legal documents has real implications for defendants, because judges rely on these references to help form their rulings, Kjoller’s lawyers wrote.—
Sharon Bernstein,
Sacbee.com,
7 Nov. 2025
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Appeals can be made based on factors including incorrect data, adverse testing conditions, and school or community emergencies, according to the State Board of Education.—
Erick Trevino,
AZCentral.com,
5 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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To Washington, a beard made a man look unkempt and slovenly, masking the higher emotions that civility required.—
Maurizio Valsania,
The Conversation,
2 Oct. 2025
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The other near certainty in Lead Actor should be Gary Oldman, who anchors Slow Horses with a slovenly charisma that is, against all odds, deeply watchable.—
Joe Reid,
Vulture,
24 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Dowdy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dowdy. Accessed 17 Nov. 2025.
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