1
as in dilapidated
showing signs of advanced wear and tear and neglect
shabby wallpaper that was peeling from the walls
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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
Together these buildings trace the contours of change in the city, its history jumbled out of order on a slightly shabby street.
—
Francesca Carington, New York Times, 18 Feb. 2025
The widower is a two-time National Lottery winner who lives an uncomplicated existence in an old mansion both grand and shabby.
—David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, 1 Feb. 2025
And while this residence’s direct access to Harmony ski run sweetens the deal, its panoramic vistas of the landscape’s natural beauty aren’t too shabby, either.
—Demetrius Simms, Robb Report, 8 Apr. 2025
Even Britain’s right-wing newspapers were outraged by Trump’s shabby treatment of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in the Oval Office, while Reform’s existing voters are already outliers in their sharply anti-immigration views.
—Helen Lewis, The Atlantic, 16 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for shabby
Francesca Carington, New York Times, 18 Feb. 2025
The widower is a two-time National Lottery winner who lives an uncomplicated existence in an old mansion both grand and shabby.
—David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, 1 Feb. 2025
And while this residence’s direct access to Harmony ski run sweetens the deal, its panoramic vistas of the landscape’s natural beauty aren’t too shabby, either.
—Demetrius Simms, Robb Report, 8 Apr. 2025
Even Britain’s right-wing newspapers were outraged by Trump’s shabby treatment of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in the Oval Office, while Reform’s existing voters are already outliers in their sharply anti-immigration views.
—Helen Lewis, The Atlantic, 16 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for shabby
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shabby
Adjective
-
On the show Hill would buy dilapidated homes, fix them up and sell them for a profit.—
Jennifer Sangalang,
USA Today,
13 May 2025
-
The manager of a dilapidated building called the Workers’ Cultural Palace gives a speech about his plans for the space.—
David Ehrlich,
IndieWire,
9 May 2025
Adjective
-
Its tattered and faded copy of the Magna Carta is worth millions of dollars, Carpenter estimated—though Harvard has no plans to sell it.—
Shane Croucher,
MSNBC Newsweek,
15 May 2025
-
The bottom half of the dog's body stayed pinned underneath a tattered couch on a pile of trash as flies circled him.—
Thomas G. Moukawsher,
MSNBC Newsweek,
23 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
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
-
By upcycling a neglected garment, Hirsch hopes to give someone the chance to experience the beauty and craftsmanship that goes into creating a piece.—
Tereza Shkurtaj,
People.com,
5 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
The square of white cloth was about to be sewn into a bigger pieces displaying political messages, but the ragged edges didn't neatly line up with the other pieces.—
Trevor Hughes,
USA Today,
7 May 2025
-
Musk: Tesla not on ‘ragged edge of death’ Musk dismisses the idea that the company is in any serious financial distress.—
Chris Isidore,
CNN Money,
28 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
Offering a 23% concentration of pure vitamin C, this formula delivers some serious brightening benefits, resulting in a more even-looking complexion and faded hyperpigmentation.—
Denise Primbet,
Glamour,
28 Apr. 2025
-
Everything below that will be flooded, according to IPCC predictions, so his maps show those areas as underwater, with what’s land today shown as a faded layer.—
Carlton Reid,
Forbes.com,
22 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Shabby.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shabby. Accessed 22 May. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share