dowdy

adjective

ˈdau̇-dē How to pronounce dowdy (audio)
Definition of dowdynext
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

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
  1. sloppy
  2. inappropriate
  3. wrinkled
  4. unfashionable
  5. shaggy
  6. unsuitable
  7. unkempt
  8. incorrect
Adjective
  • Detroit got a pair of first-half field goals from Jake Bates on a sloppy night for the offense.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 14 Aug. 2026
  • Appeal rates also fell slightly, suggesting faster resolution wasn’t leading to sloppier decisions.
    — Edd Gent, IEEE Spectrum, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of sloppy
Adjective
  • Pat is a little bit like an inappropriate uncle at a family gathering in the 1970s.
    — Sheena McKenzie, CNN Money, 19 Aug. 2026
  • Montana did not directly answer questions about the decision to choose BCBS over Allegiance and whether there was inappropriate contact among state officials.
    — Bob Herman, STAT, 18 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
  • 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
  • Pixie shag Somewhere between pixie and bixie lies this shaggy devil-may-care crop.
    — Loren Savini, Allure, 14 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
  • Also in July, following a tenant’s eviction, the NYPD and ASPCA discovered nine dead cats inside the filthy, unkempt Queens apartment.
    — Emma Seiwell, New York Daily News, 7 Aug. 2026
  • Milkweed tends to thrive in transitional areas, such as fallow fields, unkempt lawns, and the edges of highways.
    — Vann R. Newkirk II, The Atlantic, 28 July 2026
Definition of unkempt
Adjective
  • When requirements are unclear, AI may make incorrect assumptions that compound over multiple iterations.
    — Son Nguyen, Forbes.com, 18 Aug. 2026
  • The senators also noted that grants were canceled out of the blue with form letters, which had contradictory explanations and incorrect citations.
    — Beth Mole, ArsTechnica, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of incorrect

Browse Nearby Words

dowdily
dowdy
dower
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Cite this Entry

“Dowdy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dowdy. Accessed 20 Aug. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of dowdy for Spanish Speakers

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