as in dilapidated
showing signs of advanced wear and tear and neglect
dressed in scruffy old clothes to clean out the garage
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of scruffy
Cooper Hoffman giving us a scruffy Zoomer update of ’80s Tom Hanks.
—
David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 24 Jan. 2026
The first Berenjak opened in London’s Soho district in 2018, in a space handsomely scruffy in the spirit of Samyani’s memories.
—Bill Addison, Los Angeles Times, 22 Jan. 2026
Instead of his signature wavy dark brunette locks and scruffy hot prof facial hair, Garfield rocked sandy blonde curls and a clean shaven look.
—Meg Walters, InStyle, 14 Jan. 2026
In a group of scruffy hippies, Weir was a bit of a misfit—ironically, by virtue of being normal.
—David A. Graham, The Atlantic, 12 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for scruffy
David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 24 Jan. 2026
The first Berenjak opened in London’s Soho district in 2018, in a space handsomely scruffy in the spirit of Samyani’s memories.
—Bill Addison, Los Angeles Times, 22 Jan. 2026
Instead of his signature wavy dark brunette locks and scruffy hot prof facial hair, Garfield rocked sandy blonde curls and a clean shaven look.
—Meg Walters, InStyle, 14 Jan. 2026
In a group of scruffy hippies, Weir was a bit of a misfit—ironically, by virtue of being normal.
—David A. Graham, The Atlantic, 12 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for scruffy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for scruffy
Adjective
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Through the window that day, Smith-Dean saw a potential gold mine for the community, where many who passed by on Spring Avenue saw only a dilapidated structure.—
Dallas Morning News,
Dallas Morning News,
11 Feb. 2026
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Crows roost on its dilapidated shingles and fly off simultaneously, like a choreographed murder.—
Ben Travers,
IndieWire,
8 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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The department issued heavy fines and ultimately shuttered a neglected building in Denver’s uptown neighborhood last year that was owned by CBZ Management.—
Sam Tabachnik,
Denver Post,
8 Jan. 2026
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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
Cite this Entry
“Scruffy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/scruffy. Accessed 21 Feb. 2026.
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