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
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Recent Examples of dowdy
The roving camera seems to hunt Blanchett through her character’s London townhouse and hip industrial office space, both impeccably rendered in contrast with Stephen’s dowdy row house by production designer Neil Lamont and set decorator Pancho Chamorro.
—
Alison Herman, Variety, 11 Oct. 2024
Unexpectedly, a character who seemed to be a stock figure — the dowdy matron, clucking over the girls in her charge — emerges as someone much richer and better, raising the show along with her.
—Jesse Green, New York Times, 20 Mar. 2025
Memorably dowdy fashion notwithstanding, the juicy role — part Nurse Ratched, part Jack Torrance — launched Bates into the Hollywood ether following years of false starts.
—Ew Staff, EW.com, 2 Mar. 2025
Jane and Kit stand on either side, looking dowdy in black dresses and veils (not really an Irish thing).
—Cullen Murphy, airmail.news, 15 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for dowdy
Alison Herman, Variety, 11 Oct. 2024
Unexpectedly, a character who seemed to be a stock figure — the dowdy matron, clucking over the girls in her charge — emerges as someone much richer and better, raising the show along with her.
—Jesse Green, New York Times, 20 Mar. 2025
Memorably dowdy fashion notwithstanding, the juicy role — part Nurse Ratched, part Jack Torrance — launched Bates into the Hollywood ether following years of false starts.
—Ew Staff, EW.com, 2 Mar. 2025
Jane and Kit stand on either side, looking dowdy in black dresses and veils (not really an Irish thing).
—Cullen Murphy, airmail.news, 15 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for dowdy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dowdy
Adjective
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The Trump administration has been accused of being sloppy in selecting its targets for arrest and deportation, with critics accusing them of relying on tattoo symbols and clothing to make their allegations of gang affiliation.—
Jonathan Easley,
The Hill,
21 Apr. 2025
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Given publicly available information and pages of corrections Tyler provided to the reporters, the editorial board’s commentary is at best sloppy.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
13 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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That’s as the league continues its investigation of longtime Ravens kicker Justin Tucker, who was accused of inappropriate behavior by 16 massage therapists as part of an investigation by The Baltimore Banner.—
Jeff Zrebiec,
New York Times,
26 Apr. 2025
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JoJo Siwa gets candid following Mickey Rourke's 'Big Brother' exit Siwa's revelation follows an exit from fellow castmate Mickey Rourke, who made inappropriate comments regarding her sexuality and used a slur.—
Anna Kaufman,
USA Today,
25 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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The movie takes its title for the unfashionable floater of a nearly unhittable pitch, long, high and vexing.—
Michael Phillips,
Chicago Tribune,
20 Mar. 2025
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King-Hammond suggested yet another factor: his focus on people, and not formalist ideas, was unfashionable in the eyes of art history’s shapers.—
Alex Greenberger,
ARTnews.com,
25 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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This romantically rustic wreath weaves shaggy swags of greenery with white tulips and stalks of berries, then ties it all together with a neat black-and-white bow.—
Miles Walls,
Better Homes & Gardens,
19 Apr. 2025
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Hashing things out with his tech wizard brother-in-law Maury (a shaggy Guy Pearce), Karsh wonders if ecological protesters or religious groups or competitors are upset with his global expansion plans, which include a lava field in Iceland.—
Robert Abele,
Los Angeles Times,
18 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Olivia Heller/The Hustle For-profit developers, for one thing, often find church and synagogue properties unsuitable for redevelopment.—
Mark Dent,
HubSpot,
11 Apr. 2025
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Such glues and taped seams make Gore-tex jackets unsuitable for chemical recycling.—
Carlton Reid,
Forbes.com,
10 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Most wine lovers know that the word Sauvignon comes from the French word sauvage and the word blanc simply means white, but most people don’t know the reason is because when untrained vines of the variety have a distinctly unkempt appearance.—
Mike DeSimone and Jeff Jenssen,
Robb Report,
4 Nov. 2024
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But, as in these United States, the key question remains whether creeping totalitarianism — from the left and the right — will squeeze everyday people out of their inalienable right to just be their sometimes obnoxious, unkempt, idiosyncratic selves.—
Ed Wallace,
New York Daily News,
6 June 2024
Adjective
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The piece is an antique that wasn't fashionable for many decades, but many jewels once considered fussy or unstylish have now been embraced again.—
Stephanie Petit,
Peoplemag,
8 Dec. 2023
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Slippery soles, cold toes, and unstylish footwear should be avoided at all costs.—
Roxanne Adamiyatt,
Town & Country,
29 Dec. 2022
Adjective
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Slough House is headed by the slovenly, flatulent, and frequently intoxicated Jackson Lamb (Gary Oldman), who routinely heaps verbal abuse on his staff but is nonetheless a brilliant spymaster in his own smelly way.—
Ars Technica,
Ars Technica,
24 Dec. 2024
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Corruption within the organization, after all, is as much a part of the show as Jackson Lamb’s slovenly habits and horrible diet.—
Kathryn VanArendonk,
Vulture,
9 Oct. 2024
Cite this Entry
“Dowdy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dowdy. Accessed 3 May. 2025.
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