as in sloppy
lacking neatness in dress or person
for the sake of their image, the band members transformed themselves from clean-cut lads to slovenly rockers
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in sloppily
in a careless or unfashionable manner
an employee who went overboard on dress-down day and was reprimanded for dressing slovenly on the job
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of slovenly
Kathryn Vanarendonk, Vulture, 9 Oct. 2024
To them, flame is slovenly, backward, even atavistic, tolerable only when used for ceremonial purposes.
—Stephen Pyne, Scientific American, 16 Apr. 2024
Giraffes at least keep the water sports to themselves; their slovenly, muck-loving neighbors, on the other hand, spread the excrement far and wide.
—Cody Cottier, Discover Magazine, 13 Mar. 2024
Slough House is headed by the slovenly, flatulent, and frequently intoxicated Jackson Lamb (Gary Oldman), who routinely heaps verbal abuse on his staff.
—Ars Staff, Ars Technica, 29 Dec. 2023
See All Example Sentences for slovenly
Adjective
Corruption within the organization, after all, is as much a part of the show as Jackson Lamb’s slovenly habits and horrible diet.
—Kathryn Vanarendonk, Vulture, 9 Oct. 2024
To them, flame is slovenly, backward, even atavistic, tolerable only when used for ceremonial purposes.
—Stephen Pyne, Scientific American, 16 Apr. 2024
Giraffes at least keep the water sports to themselves; their slovenly, muck-loving neighbors, on the other hand, spread the excrement far and wide.
—Cody Cottier, Discover Magazine, 13 Mar. 2024
Slough House is headed by the slovenly, flatulent, and frequently intoxicated Jackson Lamb (Gary Oldman), who routinely heaps verbal abuse on his staff.
—Ars Staff, Ars Technica, 29 Dec. 2023
See All Example Sentences for slovenly
Recent Examples of Synonyms for slovenly
Adjective
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There were loud boos at half-time, a smattering in the closing minutes and a few more at the final whistle as England played without any real intensity, were sloppy in possession and struggled to break down a team more than happy to sit everyone behind the ball.—
Dan Sheldon,
New York Times,
8 June 2025
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Though her level of play has vacillated between sharp and sloppy throughout the tournament, Gauff was mostly dialed in against Boisson, who captivated the Parisian crowds in recent days.—
Nicole Fallert,
USA Today,
7 June 2025
Adjective
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The goldendoodle named Bruno is crossbreed of a golden retriever and a poodle, and is known to have unique fur—loose curls and sometimes shaggy.—
Liz O'Connell,
MSNBC Newsweek,
2 June 2025
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The bison’s large, hump-like shoulder, shaggy fur, and thick mane distinguish it from the smoother-coated buffalo.—
Scott Travers,
Forbes.com,
25 May 2025
Adjective
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Most wine lovers know that the word Sauvignon comes from the French word sauvage and the word blanc simply means white, but most people don’t know the reason is because when untrained vines of the variety have a distinctly unkempt appearance.—
Mike DeSimone and Jeff Jenssen,
Robb Report,
4 Nov. 2024
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But, as in these United States, the key question remains whether creeping totalitarianism — from the left and the right — will squeeze everyday people out of their inalienable right to just be their sometimes obnoxious, unkempt, idiosyncratic selves.—
Ed Wallace,
New York Daily News,
6 June 2024
Adjective
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And being untidy is considered a personal failing in our culture, a breach of the moral code.—
Marla Jo Fisher,
Oc Register,
21 May 2025
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Even her confession of her untidy bathroom eschews the pedestal of celebrity.—
Jessica Ourisman,
Forbes.com,
11 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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The real world can be messy, and issues will occasionally come up that are out of your control.—
Egor Karpovich,
Forbes.com,
4 June 2025
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The plating was a little messy on a few dishes during my visit.—
Pam Kragen,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
4 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Slovenly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/slovenly. Accessed 20 Jun. 2025.
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