DOWDY Synonyms: 158 Similar and Opposite Words

dowdy

adjective

ˈdau̇-dē

Definition of dowdy

as in sloppy

lacking neatness in dress or person a dowdy old matron

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of dowdy Memorably dowdy fashion notwithstanding, the juicy role — part Nurse Ratched, part Jack Torrance — launched Bates into the Hollywood ether following years of false starts. — Darren Franich, Entertainment Weekly, 15 Mar. 2026 Cher’s memorable transformation from a dowdy Italian widow residing in Brooklyn, NY, stole the movie. — Tonya Blazio-Licorish, Footwear News, 13 Feb. 2026 Chris Hemsworth, then, almost as good-looking as GNev himself, with his slightly dowdy brother Luke cast as good old Phil. — Jack Lang, New York Times, 22 Jan. 2026 Bonus points for Sarah Sherman’s dowdy character, who accidentally got on the Epstein list. — Rima Parikh, Vulture, 5 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for dowdy

Recent Examples of Synonyms for dowdy

Adjective

There was a celebration of what Daniels can do at any point, which is to cover up inconsistency and sloppy execution by others with his extraordinary talent.

— Nicki Jhabvala, New York Times, 26 Aug. 2026
The Chargers looked sloppy in their 41-17 home loss to the San Francisco 49ers last week, following an inspiring 27-7 road win over the Houston Texans, and now aim for a better on-field product in their final tuneup.

— Joaquin Ruiz, Los Angeles Times, 26 Aug. 2026

Definition of sloppy

Adjective

During the first week of school, a Diamond Hill-Jarvis High School teacher was placed on leave over allegations of an inappropriate relationship with a student.

— Maven Navarro, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 25 Aug. 2026
The content was inappropriate and does not reflect our values.

— Gregg Evans, New York Times, 25 Aug. 2026

Definition of inappropriate

Adjective

Participants with wet but non-wrinkled fingers required significantly more force to maintain the same hold; their hands were working harder to do less.

— Scott Travers, Forbes.com, 22 May 2026
Yellowing leaves can indicate overwatering, while wrinkled leaves can point to underwatering.

— Madeline Buiano, Martha Stewart, 8 Feb. 2026

Definition of wrinkled

Adjective

The very characteristics that made blue-collar businesses unfashionable, their physicality and labor intensity, are now their defensive moat.

— Gustaf Lundberg Toresson, Forbes.com, 6 Aug. 2026
As one Ithacan subject fondly recalls, Odysseus always had an unfashionable belief in playing fair.

— Justin Chang, New Yorker, 17 July 2026

Definition of unfashionable

Adjective

Unassuming in her affect and understated in her dress, with a shaggy blond bob, Marta greets me warmly and leads me from the basement parking area through an indoor landscape of light.

— Gaby Wood, Vogue, 17 Aug. 2026
Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix with a wooden spoon or sturdy spatula until a shaggy dough forms.

— ABC News, ABC News, 15 Aug. 2026

Definition of shaggy

Adjective

When channels are created with unsuitable blades, angles, or placement, transplanted hair may grow in an unnatural direction or produce an overly uniform appearance.

— Connie Etemadi, USA Today, 10 Aug. 2026
Websites often attract unsuitable clients due to ineffective copy, hindering business growth.

— Jodie Cook, Forbes.com, 1 Aug. 2026

Definition of unsuitable

Adjective

Beneath Lamb’s unkempt appearance, crude manners, noxious flatulence, and stinging remarks lies one of the sharpest minds in MI5 and a man fiercely protective of his brood of misfits.

— Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 17 Aug. 2026
The Society was a sprawling campus on the Adyar River, its peaceful walking paths dotted with old buildings and gently unkempt trees.

— Madhuri Vijay, New Yorker, 16 Aug. 2026

Definition of unkempt

Adjective

In between some of the manager’s more clip-worthy quotes, there were more of his usual — and not incorrect — platitudes.

— Cody Stavenhagen, New York Times, 25 Aug. 2026
Mosseri said the plaintiff lawyers are incorrect in suggesting that Meta also reduced the number of researchers studying youth mental health harms after Haugen’s leaks.

— Jonathan Vanian, CNBC, 25 Aug. 2026

Definition of incorrect

Browse Nearby Words

dowdily

dowdy

dower

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Dowdy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dowdy. Accessed 29 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of dowdy

adjective

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

kith

Popular in Grammar & Usage

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

Commonly Misspelled Words

Popular in Wordplay

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

Even More Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

The Words of the Week - Aug. 28

Why do we say 'break a leg'?

Popular

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

Games & Quizzes