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
Homeowners may wonder why another large group — the many city and county residents who love Balboa Park — arguably benefited the most from the leverage Aguirre and Severson had on the city in their lawsuit exposing its shabby and legally dubious trash practices.
—
U T Editorial Board, San Diego Union-Tribune, 23 May 2026
The Moroccan immigrants who staff this berry farm appear to live simple lives, spending their days on repetitive manual labor and their evenings in shabby housing with minimal material possessions.
—Christian Zilko, IndieWire, 18 May 2026
Preppy shoes announced their revival with the buzzy boat shoe resurgence of 2024, and its formal cousin, the loafer, isn’t doing too shabby either these days.
—Jaden Thompson, Footwear News, 13 May 2026
All of which is well and good, but the big-picture statistical veracity starts to look a little shabby in the face of the actual end-user experience.
—Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 11 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for shabby
U T Editorial Board, San Diego Union-Tribune, 23 May 2026
The Moroccan immigrants who staff this berry farm appear to live simple lives, spending their days on repetitive manual labor and their evenings in shabby housing with minimal material possessions.
—Christian Zilko, IndieWire, 18 May 2026
Preppy shoes announced their revival with the buzzy boat shoe resurgence of 2024, and its formal cousin, the loafer, isn’t doing too shabby either these days.
—Jaden Thompson, Footwear News, 13 May 2026
All of which is well and good, but the big-picture statistical veracity starts to look a little shabby in the face of the actual end-user experience.
—Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 11 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for shabby
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shabby
Adjective
-
Buck Island offered to sell the dilapidated unit to Brown for $1,000, funded partially with her security deposit.—
Gretchen Morgenson,
NBC news,
10 June 2026
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Google reviews show the Super 8 in West Haven deteriorating to poor service and dilapidated rooms and finally permanently closed.—
Staff Report,
Hartford Courant,
6 June 2026
Adjective
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Worn Washcloths or Towels Go through all your linens in the bathroom, and discard any that are old, stained, tattered, or smell weird.—
Daley Quinn,
Southern Living,
10 June 2026
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But its tattered economy remains its Achilles’ heel.—
Arash Azizi,
The Atlantic,
10 June 2026
Adjective
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Underdog startups and neglected divisions tell similar stories.—
Steve Denning,
Forbes.com,
13 May 2026
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Cinematographer Guillermo Garza shoots neglected settings like fine art, embracing the grime.—
Amy Nicholson,
Los Angeles Times,
3 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Although King reached rare air with the Bulls during Rose’s ascent, most of his tenure as a broadcaster was spent breathing life into ragged seasons.—
Julia Poe,
Chicago Tribune,
11 June 2026
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Kristen Stewart has sported every short hairstyle worth mentioning, but this impossibly ragged, exaggerated mullet feels like the correct choice for a grunge girl summer.—
Calin Van Paris,
InStyle,
27 May 2026
Adjective
-
Pinch Off Faded Flowers or Cut Back To ensure continuous production, Anna Ohler, the owner of Bright Lane Gardens, suggests pinching off any faded flowers, including the seed pod.—
Jane Kim,
The Spruce,
9 June 2026
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The cream color pops against faded black jeans, as in Hudson’s outfit, but it can also be paired with blue denim, skirts, or linen pants.—
Jacqueline Tempera,
PEOPLE,
3 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Shabby.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shabby. Accessed 13 Jun. 2026.
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