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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of dowdy
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
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
See All Example Sentences for dowdy
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
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
See All Example Sentences for dowdy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dowdy
Adjective
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Nico Hoerner hit a leadoff homer and then delivered an RBI double during a five-run fifth inning as the Chicago Cubs beat the sloppy Tampa Bay Rays 6-2 on Wednesday night at Tropicana Field.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
9 Apr. 2026
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Still, plushy, squelchy chairs don’t have to look sloppy either.—
Kate McGregor,
Architectural Digest,
9 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Horner seemed calm and articulate and also made inappropriate jokes during the interview, Espinoza said.—
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
9 Apr. 2026
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Swalwell has denied the allegations of inappropriate behavior with female staffers, which his camp argues are coming from online influencers connected to his opponents.—
Julie Watts,
CBS News,
8 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Yellowing leaves can indicate overwatering, while wrinkled leaves can point to underwatering.—
Madeline Buiano,
Martha Stewart,
8 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Gilberto and Kleberson formed an unfashionable midfield duo largely unknown outside Brazil.—
Michael Cox,
New York Times,
15 Feb. 2026
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Here’s a rapid-fire update on each stock in the portfolio, starting with seven currently unfashionable names that Jim says should soon be back in style.—
Paulina Likos,Morgan Chittum,
CNBC,
12 Dec. 2025
Adjective
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Drizzle over butter mixture, then mix with a fork until shaggy pieces form.—
Chris Morocco,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
8 Apr. 2026
-
Marsh gave way to thicker moss and shaggier shrubs.—
Quanta Magazine,
Quanta Magazine,
6 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Unless the seeds were stored in a damp or otherwise unsuitable location, seed germination rates don’t decline all at once.—
Lauren Landers,
Better Homes & Gardens,
7 Apr. 2026
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Corn is an unsuitable companion plant for peppers due to its towering size.—
Kim Toscano,
Southern Living,
5 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
All these delightful, unkempt, messy characters, and the actors who portray them, pop off the screen in huge ways.—
Randy Myers,
Mercury News,
9 Apr. 2026
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Joseph appeared in a striped prison uniform for his hearing on Tuesday morning, with his hair disheveled and beard unkempt.—
Chris Spargo,
PEOPLE,
31 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Google disputes the results and notes that Oumi used the SimpleQA benchmark, an AI test developed by OpenAI that contains incorrect information in its own right.—
Jon Martindale,
PC Magazine,
8 Apr. 2026
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Google spokesperson Ned Adriance tells the Times that Google believes SimpleQA contains incorrect information.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
7 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Dowdy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dowdy. Accessed 16 Apr. 2026.
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