1
as in dilapidated
showing signs of advanced wear and tear and neglect
shabby wallpaper that was peeling from the walls
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in tattered
worn or torn into or as if into rags
shabby, stained clothes that are barely better than rags
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of shabby
His production fell to 21 goals and 56 points this season, but that’s not too shabby considering how anemic the Predators were offensively this year.
—
Harman Dayal, New York Times, 30 May 2025
Designed for 3-D, parts of the crash plant the viewer smack in the middle of Death’s brutal rampage, but the digital effects are often shabby and unconvincing.
—Gayle Sequeira, Vulture, 16 May 2025
The president’s own obvious aged infirmity was what ultimately caused Democrats to force him out of the 2024 race, but his son’s many years of shabby buckraking, both in active addiction and recovery, helped destroy Joe Biden’s image as a straight shooter.
—Chris Stirewalt, The Hill, 13 May 2025
From shabby to chic: Hotel Gellért in Budapest had become a run-down relic.
—Daniel Wine, CNN Money, 8 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for shabby
Harman Dayal, New York Times, 30 May 2025
Designed for 3-D, parts of the crash plant the viewer smack in the middle of Death’s brutal rampage, but the digital effects are often shabby and unconvincing.
—Gayle Sequeira, Vulture, 16 May 2025
The president’s own obvious aged infirmity was what ultimately caused Democrats to force him out of the 2024 race, but his son’s many years of shabby buckraking, both in active addiction and recovery, helped destroy Joe Biden’s image as a straight shooter.
—Chris Stirewalt, The Hill, 13 May 2025
From shabby to chic: Hotel Gellért in Budapest had become a run-down relic.
—Daniel Wine, CNN Money, 8 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for shabby
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shabby
Adjective
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But Spencer said replacing old, dilapidated buildings with newer ones could also put the district in a better position to compete with charter schools.—
Silas Allen,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
26 June 2025
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That made staying in Oakland untenable for the franchise, which played its final season in the dilapidated stadium last year.—
W.G. Ramirez,
Chicago Tribune,
23 June 2025
Adjective
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Set in the year 3333 on a desolate alien world, players take on the role of the Swordsman, a somewhat blank slate character with minimalist features clad in a tattered cloak.—
Christopher Cruz,
Rolling Stone,
24 June 2025
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And then, in close-up, a bulldozer turns over rubble, and a family photograph is glimpsed in the debris, a tattered symbol of what has been lost.—
Catherine Bray,
Variety,
25 May 2025
Adjective
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What’s a neglected part of your ME—your health, learning, or joy?—
Nell Derick Debevoise,
Forbes.com,
10 June 2025
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But the area where these cuts will be felt most acutely is with respect to elder abuse, which is already a neglected area of health care and social services.—
Thomas G. Moukawsher,
MSNBC Newsweek,
17 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Slug and earwig damage often looks similar because these pests both chew ragged holes in plant leaves and do most of their feeding after dark.—
Lauren Landers,
Better Homes & Gardens,
25 June 2025
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In any case, SpongeBob becomes more and more ragged as the days go by and Patrick fails to share the parental load.—
Josh Weiss,
Forbes.com,
24 June 2025
Adjective
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Staining not only revives faded wood but also helps protect it from sun, moisture and insects.—
Angie Hicks,
Boston Herald,
27 June 2025
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Select a faded flower and follow the stem down, cutting it 12 inches or more below the bloom, deep into the plant to encourage more long stems.—
Andy Wilcox,
Better Homes & Gardens,
10 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Shabby.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shabby. Accessed 7 Jul. 2025.
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