shabby

adjective

ˈsha-bē How to pronounce shabby (audio)
Definition of shabbynext
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

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of shabby Not too shabby for a man who was roundly ridiculed for his defection from LaLiga in 2007. — Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 10 July 2026 From shabby apartments to art experiments to filthy needles—with echoes of Patti Smith and Rebecca Makkai—Adler conjures an era of sorrow borne by too many, too young. — Hamilton Cain, Time, 7 July 2026 Tesla’s energy storage sales aren’t looking too shabby, either. — Jonathan M. Gitlin, ArsTechnica, 2 July 2026 But for cars that weighed around 3,100 pounds, those figures aren’t too shabby in terms of real-world performance. — Erik Shilling, Robb Report, 27 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for shabby
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shabby
  1. dilapidated
  2. tattered
  3. neglected
  4. ragged
  5. faded
Adjective
  • Its current chapter as a travel venue is helmed by the Greene family, who bought the property in 2000 and began to restore it from a dilapidated state.
    — Lydia Mansel, Travel + Leisure, 12 July 2026
  • Back at the dilapidated family home, Edgar grows even surlier, lashing into gentle-natured Joe for being an under-achiever compared to his brother and causing Thya to become apprehensive about Ed’s proximity to sharp objects.
    — David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 8 July 2026
Definition of dilapidated
Adjective
  • The trailer finds the film’s protagonists alternately hunting or fleeing the vicious creature — or creatures — through a tattered town known as Hope Harbor, a remote coastal village near the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) in South Korea.
    — Patrick Brzeski, HollywoodReporter, 9 July 2026
  • There was a phone book, camera film canisters, metal pins, the tattered remains of a baseball cap and an orange t-shirt with the outline of a giant thumbs up.
    — Rylan DiGiacomo-Rapp, The Orlando Sentinel, 29 June 2026
Definition of tattered
Adjective
  • Investors and analysts are increasingly looking to other parts of the market, both to find neglected sources of value and to start assuming a defensive posture against a possible downturn.
    — Tobias Burns, CNBC, 16 July 2026
  • Changing their environment is more reliable and more neglected.
    — Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic, Forbes.com, 19 June 2026
Definition of neglected
Adjective
  • Cool Machine, in places, is a detective novel for men on the other side of the law, who check hunches and double back on evidence and places of interest, chasing leads — and running themselves ragged.
    — Niela Orr, Vulture, 20 July 2026
  • But even ragged with a slippery ball, the Springboks still blanked Wales in successive matches for the first time since the first two matches in this rivalry, in 1906 and 1912.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 18 July 2026
Definition of ragged
Adjective
  • Eric_Lynxweiler | Courtesy of Latinos in Heritage Conservation The Silver Platter, with its faded crimson awning along a stretch in Los Angeles’ Westlake District, doesn’t look like much from the outside.
    — R. Daniel Foster, Forbes.com, 29 June 2026
  • The faded fabric, buttery-soft cotton, and contrast-trim neckline lend it a vintage vibe that won’t look out of place when paired with more contemporary pieces.
    — Irene Richardson, InStyle, 28 June 2026
Definition of faded

Browse Nearby Words

shabbily
shabby
shack
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Cite this Entry

“Shabby.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shabby. Accessed 25 Jul. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of shabby for Spanish Speakers

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