as in dilapidated
showing signs of advanced wear and tear and neglect
a mangy old car that was covered in rust
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Recent Examples of mangy
Talking Heads played their first gig in June, 1975, opening for the Ramones at CBGB, a rock club on a mangy block in the East Village.
—
Amanda Petrusich, New Yorker, 10 Nov. 2025
That also includes Leonard, a dapper old parrot who lives in the clinic, and Bitchy, a mangy, rangy alley cat who recently wandered into the office and took up residence.
—Duante Beddingfield, Freep.com, 30 July 2025
His Orlok is more feral and red-blooded than previous iterations, appearing swathed in ursine furs and accompanied by mangy curs.
—Celia Mattison, Vulture, 27 Dec. 2024
Davis was more or less rocking his signature look — a red Adidas tracksuit, hair in mangy dreads.
—Ed Masley, The Arizona Republic, 4 Oct. 2024
The father, in a black frock coat, cracked his whip at a mangy and irritated lion who eventually agreed to jump through a hoop.
—Rosanna Warren, Harper's Magazine, 25 June 2024
In several cases, the cloned dog’s appeal appeared to lie partly in physical problems or a difficult start in life: the dog found as a mangy stray or rescued from a kill shelter or a bad breeder; the needy dog or the purebred with a non-ideal characteristic.
—Alexandra Horowitz, The New Yorker, 24 June 2024
Amanda Petrusich, New Yorker, 10 Nov. 2025
That also includes Leonard, a dapper old parrot who lives in the clinic, and Bitchy, a mangy, rangy alley cat who recently wandered into the office and took up residence.
—Duante Beddingfield, Freep.com, 30 July 2025
His Orlok is more feral and red-blooded than previous iterations, appearing swathed in ursine furs and accompanied by mangy curs.
—Celia Mattison, Vulture, 27 Dec. 2024
Davis was more or less rocking his signature look — a red Adidas tracksuit, hair in mangy dreads.
—Ed Masley, The Arizona Republic, 4 Oct. 2024
The father, in a black frock coat, cracked his whip at a mangy and irritated lion who eventually agreed to jump through a hoop.
—Rosanna Warren, Harper's Magazine, 25 June 2024
In several cases, the cloned dog’s appeal appeared to lie partly in physical problems or a difficult start in life: the dog found as a mangy stray or rescued from a kill shelter or a bad breeder; the needy dog or the purebred with a non-ideal characteristic.
—Alexandra Horowitz, The New Yorker, 24 June 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for mangy
Adjective
-
In this way, abandoned and often dilapidated homes are saved and renovated rather than being left to further deteriorate or be torn down.—
Eric Adler
December 22,
Kansas City Star,
22 Dec. 2025
-
To find her, Luis becomes embedded with an outlaw band of ravers, who cross the Moroccan desert in huge, dilapidated trucks.—
Damon Wise,
Deadline,
16 Dec. 2025
Adjective
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The narrative highlights the growing, unseen populations of lonely and neglected individuals, shedding light on a vital but often ignored aspect of public care.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
9 Dec. 2025
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Over six years, Papp and Archie fostered 120 dogs and cats, and the owner said Archie was a major reason some of the most neglected and frightened animals went on to live full and happy lives.—
Rachael O'Connor,
MSNBC Newsweek,
12 Nov. 2025
Adjective
-
Hostaria San Pietro’s is hand-written on a scruffy piece of paper, according to the fisherman’s catch—cod, shrimp, squid.—
Rosalyn Wikeley,
Condé Nast Traveler,
12 Jan. 2026
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Leonardo DiCaprio stars as a scruffy former revolutionary desperate to find his teen daughter (Chase Infiniti) with an old enemy (Sean Penn) in hot pursuit.—
Brian Truitt,
USA Today,
9 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Mangy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mangy. Accessed 15 Jan. 2026.
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