as in dilapidated
showing signs of advanced wear and tear and neglect
changed into an old flannel shirt and a scrubby pair of jeans to clean out the garage
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of scrubby
Stick to the gentler blue scour pads, the scrubby side of your sponge, or a Scrub Daddy/Mommy.
—
Alex Beggs, Bon Appétit, 10 Feb. 2023
The rocky summit is partially protected by scrubby evergreens and a fire tower affords fantastic views of all of western Maine.
—Outside Online, 23 Nov. 2022
The rugged coasts are lined with scrubby grasses and smatterings of wildflowers, all the way up to the turquoise waters.
—Jessica Puckett, Condé Nast Traveler, 22 Nov. 2022
Mike Wood is a forager who can find edible plants in Utah at any time of the year, and in nearly any biome — in scrubby deserts and alpine meadows, or in urban neighborhoods, growing up through cracks in sidewalks or in unmowed street medians.
—Stefene Russell, The Salt Lake Tribune, 29 Oct. 2022
See All Example Sentences for scrubby
Alex Beggs, Bon Appétit, 10 Feb. 2023
The rocky summit is partially protected by scrubby evergreens and a fire tower affords fantastic views of all of western Maine.
—Outside Online, 23 Nov. 2022
The rugged coasts are lined with scrubby grasses and smatterings of wildflowers, all the way up to the turquoise waters.
—Jessica Puckett, Condé Nast Traveler, 22 Nov. 2022
Mike Wood is a forager who can find edible plants in Utah at any time of the year, and in nearly any biome — in scrubby deserts and alpine meadows, or in urban neighborhoods, growing up through cracks in sidewalks or in unmowed street medians.
—Stefene Russell, The Salt Lake Tribune, 29 Oct. 2022
See All Example Sentences for scrubby
Recent Examples of Synonyms for scrubby
Adjective
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Earlier this year, Saiz Bilbao arrived at a dilapidated building still under construction, its entrance via a seemingly endless stretch of stairs that led to a window-less hostel.—
Georgiana Ralphs,
CNN Money,
31 Oct. 2025
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Now, charred and dilapidated buildings dot the small city center.—
NPR,
NPR,
25 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Few sights are as heart-wrenching as a neglected animal in need.—
Allison Moses,
USA Today,
28 Oct. 2025
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Those plans were later abandoned during the pandemic and the house joined Denver’s neglected and derelict building list in 2024.—
Justin Wingerter,
Denver Post,
8 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Scrubby.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/scrubby. Accessed 12 Nov. 2025.
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