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
To write, especially in a first draft, is to submit myself to the mangy, cackling glory of not knowing.
—
Literary Hub, 17 Apr. 2026
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
Literary Hub, 17 Apr. 2026
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for mangy
Adjective
-
An operating license for a dilapidated Boba tea kiosk displays a 2024 expiration date.—
Audrey Pachuta,
Chicago Tribune,
9 May 2026
-
Zaragoza stationed his men on the high ground, hidden behind cacti, behind walls of dilapidated forts, in ditches.—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
4 May 2026
Adjective
-
Focus on problems that are big, urgent and neglected.—
ByBryan Robinson,
Forbes.com,
9 May 2026
-
Cinematographer Guillermo Garza shoots neglected settings like fine art, embracing the grime.—
Amy Nicholson,
Los Angeles Times,
3 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Reluctantly hired to fill in for her is Cameron (Lewis Pullman), a scruffy drifter newly blown into town with some unfinished family business to attend to.—
Guy Lodge,
Variety,
7 May 2026
-
Reiner, with his head shaved and a scruffy goatee, wore a yellow prison top with blue prison pants.—
Bryan Alexander,
USA Today,
29 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Mangy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mangy. Accessed 16 May. 2026.
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