variants
or frowzy
1
as in sloppy
lacking neatness in dress or person
sported a threadbare wardrobe and frowsy hair
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in ripe
having an unpleasant smell
the abandoned house was dank and frowsy
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of frowsy
Lenker, in plaid, rubs her eyes; James Krivchenia leans forward, sparky and alert; Meek, outdoors in the Topanga sunshine, wears cycling glasses and a frowzy hat.
—
Emma Madden, Pitchfork, 4 Sep. 2025
Before the current renovation of the franchised hotels, the rooms looked as if they were stuck in a fussy, frowsy 1980s floral rut.
—BostonGlobe.com, 3 Oct. 2019
Emma Madden, Pitchfork, 4 Sep. 2025
Before the current renovation of the franchised hotels, the rooms looked as if they were stuck in a fussy, frowsy 1980s floral rut.
—BostonGlobe.com, 3 Oct. 2019
Recent Examples of Synonyms for frowsy
Adjective
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In a women’s semifinal, Slovak Marianna Jagercikova got snow stuck in the bindings of her ski boots, causing a sloppy transition, which ended her chances of advancing to the final.—
Zak Keefer,
New York Times,
19 Feb. 2026
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Drop shoulders and a high-low hemline keep the top relaxed, while the classic wide-leg pants offer pajama-like comfort without looking sloppy.—
Olivia Young,
Travel + Leisure,
16 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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The snowpack the skiers had been travelling on had a weak layer that had been loaded up with snow, making conditions ripe for an avalanche, according to Chris Feutrier, USDA forest supervisor for the Tahoe National Forest.—
Elizabeth Wolfe,
CNN Money,
19 Feb. 2026
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The National Weather Service on Wednesday issued a red flag warning, meaning that as the afternoon moved forward conditions would be very dry and windy, making the area ripe for brush fire spread.—
Deanese Williams-Harris,
Chicago Tribune,
18 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Yellowing leaves can indicate overwatering, while wrinkled leaves can point to underwatering.—
Madeline Buiano,
Martha Stewart,
8 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Four plays, 76 yards, in 25 stinking seconds.—
David Aldridge,
New York Times,
12 Oct. 2025
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This is about a team with a top-10 payroll whose GM committed too stinking much of it to dogs that can’t, or won’t, pull the sled.—
Sean Keeler,
The Denver Post,
22 Dec. 2019
Adjective
-
Other highlights from the week included the Tory Burch show, where Pamela Anderson sported a shaggy blonde bob and joined stars from Marcello Hernandez and Amanda Seyfried to Tessa Thompson and Myha'la.—
Brendan Morrow,
USA Today,
17 Feb. 2026
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Showing off a pair of shaggy front bangs, Klum finished off her monochromatic look with skintight latex leggings and a pair of sky-high scarlet stilettos.—
Lara Walsh,
InStyle,
17 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
So open to the skies, and filthy.—
Lesley Stahl,
CBS News,
16 Feb. 2026
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This neighborhood, peopled almost entirely by the people who claim to have been driven from Poland and Russia, is the eyesore of New York and perhaps the filthiest place on the western continent.—
Alexandra Schwartz,
New Yorker,
9 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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To Washington, a beard made a man look unkempt and slovenly, masking the higher emotions that civility required.—
Maurizio Valsania,
The Conversation,
2 Oct. 2025
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The other near certainty in Lead Actor should be Gary Oldman, who anchors Slow Horses with a slovenly charisma that is, against all odds, deeply watchable.—
Joe Reid,
Vulture,
24 May 2025
Adjective
-
The image that usually beckons of a vintage store is one that is fusty, cramped and dimly lit, filled with garments organized without design or backstory.—
Leah Dolan,
CNN Money,
10 Feb. 2026
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The strategy has worked—the film is doing well at the box office—but Chalamet’s energy has vibed uncomfortably with the fusty atmosphere of awards-season campaigning, where glad-handing with showbiz retirees and eating rubber chicken at galas is still very much the norm.—
David Sims,
The Atlantic,
12 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Frowsy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/frowsy. Accessed 22 Feb. 2026.
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