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 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 Once known for dowdy packaging and perhaps questionable tastes or ingredients, the products now compete with national name brands, sparking a shakeup among major food companies. — Jordan Valinsky, CNN Money, 24 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for dowdy

Recent Examples of Synonyms for dowdy

Adjective

No one likes the sloppy tailoring of Octavius’s open-back suit, but Law loves the jacket.

— Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 17 July 2026
This thick, brownish concoction, a kind of hot dog chili, is sloppy, packs some heat, and the fiery punch to the taste buds can be a surprise to the uninitiated.

— USA TODAY Network, USA Today, 15 July 2026

Definition of sloppy

Adjective

There has been some opposition, including from the Mauthausen Committee, Austria’s main Holocaust survivors’ group, which has argued both that a police station is inappropriate and that more should be done to draw attention to Hitler’s crimes.

— CNN Money, CNN Money, 22 July 2026
State auditors found in 2018 that $700K in voucher money being spent on cosmetics, clothing, and other inappropriate items.

— Peter Greene, Forbes.com, 22 July 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

As one Ithacan subject fondly recalls, Odysseus always had an unfashionable belief in playing fair.

— Justin Chang, New Yorker, 17 July 2026
In a country where air conditioning is both uncommon and unfashionable, many have sought relief by swimming, despite the danger involved.

— Frank Landymore, Futurism, 24 June 2026

Definition of unfashionable

Adjective

The shaggy golden Saint Berdoodle was killed on June 13 by an LAPD officer while bounding out of Marseille’s Canoga Park apartment.

— Richard Winton, Los Angeles Times, 7 July 2026
Yeoh sported a shaggy platinum crop with dark roots peeping through, pairing her transformation with one of the brand’s signature skirt suits.

— Hannah Malach, InStyle, 7 July 2026

Definition of shaggy

Adjective

Today, some bright spots aside, the Art Deco District’s historic commercial spine is a drab length of vacant and unkempt storefronts, smoke shops, liquor stores, fast-food outlets, cheap T-shirt emporia and other varieties of tourist trap.

— Andres Viglucci, Miami Herald, 22 July 2026
But a jumble of mismatched pillows will create a chaotic and unkempt space.

— Kristin Hohenadel, The Spruce, 18 July 2026

Definition of unkempt

Adjective

At the World Cup, there were at least six examples of incorrect or — to be generous — highly dubious interventions that made reasonable on-field decisions worse across the 104 matches.

— Graham Scott, New York Times, 22 July 2026
In September, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services sent a notice denying her coverage, citing incorrect income information and stating she wasn't disabled, according to Kolosova and state documents reviewed by KFF Health News.

— Rachana Pradhan, NPR, 20 July 2026

Definition of incorrect

Browse Nearby Words

dowdily

dowdy

dower

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“Dowdy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dowdy. Accessed 23 Jul. 2026.

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Synonyms of dowdy

adjective

Example Sentences

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