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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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
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 slovenly
Frank Fellone, Arkansas Online, 2 May 2025
Slough House is headed by the slovenly, flatulent, and frequently intoxicated Jackson Lamb (Gary Oldman), who routinely heaps verbal abuse on his staff but is nonetheless a brilliant spymaster in his own smelly way.
—Ars Technica, 24 Dec. 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
See All Example Sentences for slovenly
Adjective
Disappointed Steve Dear Steve: The real disappointment comes from slovenly people who throw trash onto our highways, or fail to properly secure their cargo.
—Frank Fellone, Arkansas Online, 2 May 2025
Slough House is headed by the slovenly, flatulent, and frequently intoxicated Jackson Lamb (Gary Oldman), who routinely heaps verbal abuse on his staff but is nonetheless a brilliant spymaster in his own smelly way.
—Ars Technica, 24 Dec. 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
See All Example Sentences for slovenly
Recent Examples of Synonyms for slovenly
Adjective
-
This team isn’t talented enough to beat the Ravens with errors and sloppy operation.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
30 Oct. 2025
-
Shares of Target have tumbled about 35% in the last year, as its own merchandising issues, a sloppier store experience and boycotts over its rollback of diversity, equity and inclusion programs all weigh on its business.—
Melissa Repko,
CNBC,
29 Oct. 2025
Adverb
-
Criticism rained down on the city from animal rights groups and residents fearful of seeing animals being sloppily butchered in broad daylight in their neighbor’s yard.—
John Carlisle,
Freep.com,
31 May 2025
Adverb
-
Chartouni said the Capitol Hill event came together somewhat chaotically.—
Erin Mansfield,
USA Today,
2 Nov. 2025
-
If that doesn’t happen for some reason, such as oversleeping, my day starts chaotically.—
Victoria Uwumarogie,
Essence,
10 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Few pieces of decor are as dreamy as the ones covered in faux fur, and this shaggy beanbag chair is no exception.—
Erika Owen,
Architectural Digest,
30 Oct. 2025
-
For the event, the actor returned to his shaggy crew cut in his honey blonde hue — coordinating his 'stache and all.—
Skyler Caruso,
PEOPLE,
30 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Yet like many other Z&L endeavors in San Jose, that project has fizzled, and the old church remains a forlorn structure next to an unkempt field in downtown San Jose.—
George Avalos,
Mercury News,
23 Oct. 2025
-
They’ve been stigmatized as unkempt or unprofessional, banned in schools and workplaces through discriminatory policies that the CROWN Act was created to dismantle.—
Jailynn Tayor,
Essence,
21 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Many plants, shrubs, and trees on the three-acre landscape had been ravaged by back-to-back hurricanes, while others had become overgrown and untidy.—
Miranda Crowell,
Better Homes & Gardens,
15 Oct. 2025
-
For those with untidy cleaning closets like myself, this nifty holder mounts to your wall and is designed with special grips to hold your go-to broom, tried-and-true mop, and more.—
Alicia Geigel,
Southern Living,
7 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
The podcast episode premiered amid Angelia Solomon's ongoing court battle more than a decade after her and Aaron Solomon's bitter and messy divorce in 2013.—
Katie Nixon,
Nashville Tennessean,
24 Oct. 2025
-
Moisten the disposable sheets with water and a gentle cleaning agent like Dawn dish soap, then use the DIY wet wipes to clean countertops or messy faces.—
Melissa Locker,
Southern Living,
24 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Slovenly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/slovenly. Accessed 9 Nov. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share