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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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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
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According to Amazon reviews, the material is soft with just the right amount of stretch, while the fit is roomy without looking sloppy.—
Chaise Sanders,
Travel + Leisure,
8 Sep. 2025
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In that high‑tempo, but sloppy matchup, the Wildcats fell 46‑24, with Mari Adams, a top running back, contributing heavily on the ground and showing flashes of explosive play.—
Ben Verbrugge,
MSNBC Newsweek,
6 Sep. 2025
Adverb
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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
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Where most fields twist chaotically and scramble the signal, Punctum’s fields are highly aligned.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
29 Aug. 2025
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The visual map detailing suspects, victims and essential photographs was way too organized for Morgan's chaotically brilliant, 160-IQ mind.—
Bryan Alexander,
USA Today,
13 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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As for Myers' short, textured locks, hairstylist DJ Quintero had rom-com queen Meg Ryan in mind; specifically her shaggy look in When Harry Met Sally.—
Catherine Santino,
PEOPLE,
4 Sep. 2025
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Big curly cuts, bold afros, tight fades, shaggy layers, or a sharp bob—that’s my zone.—
Larry Stansbury,
Essence,
3 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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The state police photos show a typical off-campus residence – albeit a little on the unkempt side, with cases of alcohol littering the common areas, a folding table set up for beer pong, and empty cans on the floor.—
Michael Ruiz,
FOXNews.com,
23 Aug. 2025
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If Washington streets and public places are unkempt and unsafe, who will venture to go there?—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
19 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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But having a lineup of bottles and jars on the counter looks a little untidy.—
Lisa Cericola,
Southern Living,
3 Aug. 2025
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The untidy performance, which featured two throwing errors in the infield and a season-high five walks from Carlos Rodón, dropped the second-place Yankees to 55-45.—
Gary Phillips,
New York Daily News,
22 July 2025
Adjective
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Depending on how things shake out in court, representation could get messy for west Charlotte’s City Council District 3.—
Nick Sullivan,
Charlotte Observer,
6 Sep. 2025
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And that the wig was messy, but cute.—
Kate Erbland,
IndieWire,
6 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Slovenly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/slovenly. Accessed 12 Sep. 2025.
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