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
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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The soft knit fabric drapes just right, giving that relaxed vibe without looking sloppy.—
Chaise Sanders,
Travel + Leisure,
8 Nov. 2025
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Practice had been a bit a sloppy at times, but San Diego State coach Brian Dutcher had a wide smile anyway Thursday afternoon.—
Mark Zeigler,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
7 Nov. 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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Chartouni said the Capitol Hill event came together somewhat chaotically.—
Erin Mansfield,
USA Today,
2 Nov. 2025
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If that doesn’t happen for some reason, such as oversleeping, my day starts chaotically.—
Victoria Uwumarogie,
Essence,
10 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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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
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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
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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
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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
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For all their control, Chelsea remain most vulnerable when the game becomes untidy.—
Sukhman Singh,
New York Times,
1 Nov. 2025
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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
Adjective
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But a big, beautiful, and sometimes messy public square that belongs to us all.—
Yolanda Watson Spiva,
Fortune,
8 Nov. 2025
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The best heroes are beloved because their choices — admirable, messy, or otherwise — are hard ones made in service of something greater.—
Christopher Cruz,
Rolling Stone,
7 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Slovenly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/slovenly. Accessed 16 Nov. 2025.
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