1
as in poor
of low quality
shoddy merchandise that soon fell to pieces
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in notorious
not respectable
a waterfront area filled with shoddy saloons, tattoo parlors, and houses of prostitution
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 shoddy
Los Angeles Times, 8 Feb. 2026
From there, Impacciatore flew through Winter Olympics of years past, in what looked like shoddy AI, as if inspired by that one Kim Kardashian cell-phone game (RIP).
—Bethy Squires, Vulture, 6 Feb. 2026
Katherine Lagrave, Condé Nast Traveler, 20 July 2018
Only traditional organic feeds such as the shoddy are allowed
—Craig Ballinger, Slate Magazine, 20 Mar. 2017
See All Example Sentences for shoddy
Adjective
The building was in the neighborhood of Bab Tabbaneh, one of the poorest areas in Lebanon’s second-largest city, where residents have long complained of government neglect and shoddy infrastructure.
—Los Angeles Times, 8 Feb. 2026
From there, Impacciatore flew through Winter Olympics of years past, in what looked like shoddy AI, as if inspired by that one Kim Kardashian cell-phone game (RIP).
—Bethy Squires, Vulture, 6 Feb. 2026
Noun
Recycled pop bottles are made into carpets and seat linings, and cotton shoddy—used to make blue jeans—is recycled and turned into sound insulation.
—Katherine Lagrave, Condé Nast Traveler, 20 July 2018
Only traditional organic feeds such as the shoddy are allowed
—Craig Ballinger, Slate Magazine, 20 Mar. 2017
See All Example Sentences for shoddy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shoddy
Adjective
-
City officials say the long-term leases make buying Liberty Station a poor investment for any potential buyer other than Seligman.—
David Garrick,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
11 Mar. 2026
-
Further, according to the paper, when supply tightens, richer nations outbid poorer ones for scarce shipments, exacerbating challenges for vulnerable economies.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
11 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
As of this writing, Weinstein has bounced around various prisons in New York and California and is currently being held at New York City’s notorious Rikers Island.—
Kate Erbland,
IndieWire,
10 Mar. 2026
-
Credit cards are notorious for charging exceptionally high interest rates.—
Jason Stauffer,
CNBC,
10 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
To further test their observations, Rout and Lim created synthetic pores the same size as natural nuclear pore complexes.—
Yasemin Saplakoglu,
Quanta Magazine,
9 Mar. 2026
-
According to Sidey, there are two different types of wicker to be aware of—wood (natural) wicker and resin (synthetic) wicker.—
Quincy Bulin,
Southern Living,
7 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
As compiled by Gnostics, who consider the material world to be a fundamentally terrible place.—
Jay Martel,
New Yorker,
12 Mar. 2026
-
The Astros’ young second baseman, Jose Altuve, was making waves, Fisher remembered, yet the club still looked terrible.—
Evan Drellich,
New York Times,
12 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Local legend has it that the outlaw Jesse James once used the caverns as a hideout, adding some infamous intrigue to the subterranean spectacle.—
Zoey Goto,
Travel + Leisure,
8 Mar. 2026
-
After the Mexican military killed an infamous drug lord, a charming town in Jalisco state was engulfed in 24 hours of terror.—
Senior Editor,
Los Angeles Times,
6 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Compared with simulations that only included traditional ice reflectivity, the version with salt deposits required much stronger warming before the frozen planet could begin to thaw.—
Rupendra Brahambhatt,
Interesting Engineering,
7 Mar. 2026
-
The council holds regular trainings and simulations for potential threats to strengthen communication and coordination.—
Nicole Villalpando,
Austin American Statesman,
7 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Their weekly grocery bill has dropped from the equivalent of about $400 to $267; fuel and public transport are 40% cheaper; and GP visits cost 25% less – with same-day appointments replacing week-long waits.—
Laura Sharman,
CNN Money,
7 Mar. 2026
-
Respect yourself by choosing quality items over the cheapest possible options, then treat those purchases with care.—
Tarot.com,
New York Daily News,
6 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
So forget shady characters, or fake websites.—
Dave Lieber
Mar. 11,
Dallas Morning News,
11 Mar. 2026
-
The inspiration for this pasta comes from the shady, mysterious forests of Northern California’s Redwood National and State Parks.—
John Metcalfe,
Mercury News,
11 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Shoddy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shoddy. Accessed 14 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
