1
as in dilapidated
showing signs of advanced wear and tear and neglect
shabby wallpaper that was peeling from the walls
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in tattered
worn or torn into or as if into rags
shabby, stained clothes that are barely better than rags
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of shabby
Soon, Callaghan — alongside Nic Mosher and Evan Gilbert-Katz — was traversing the country in a shabby RV, documenting the surreal, perturbing and often hilarious fringes of American culture.
—
Kevin Dolak, HollywoodReporter, 16 Apr. 2026
The company says the upgrade is notably better at software engineering than previous models—and those were already not too shabby—with particular gains on the most difficult tasks.
—Beatrice Nolan, Fortune, 16 Apr. 2026
The car was born from a shabby 1960 Porsche 356 B coupe that was found in New York City and shipped to Milan.
—Howard Walker, Robb Report, 15 Apr. 2026
The city’s shabby old days live on right around the corner from the W, in the old Jewish quarter.
—Joshua Levine, Travel + Leisure, 7 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for shabby
Kevin Dolak, HollywoodReporter, 16 Apr. 2026
The company says the upgrade is notably better at software engineering than previous models—and those were already not too shabby—with particular gains on the most difficult tasks.
—Beatrice Nolan, Fortune, 16 Apr. 2026
The car was born from a shabby 1960 Porsche 356 B coupe that was found in New York City and shipped to Milan.
—Howard Walker, Robb Report, 15 Apr. 2026
The city’s shabby old days live on right around the corner from the W, in the old Jewish quarter.
—Joshua Levine, Travel + Leisure, 7 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for shabby
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shabby
Adjective
-
An operating license for a dilapidated Boba tea kiosk displays a 2024 expiration date.—
Audrey Pachuta,
Chicago Tribune,
9 May 2026
-
Zaragoza stationed his men on the high ground, hidden behind cacti, behind walls of dilapidated forts, in ditches.—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
4 May 2026
Adjective
-
At the No Doubt Experience in Las Vegas, an immersive pop-up staged by Vibee, a tattered itinerary from the band’s first tour lists a show at the Shark Club in February 1992.—
Leena Tailor,
Rolling Stone,
8 May 2026
-
The sweater now has a deep V-neck with stylishly tattered edges, which Andy pairs with a button-down shirt and jeans.—
Patrick Ryan,
USA Today,
3 May 2026
Adjective
-
Focus on problems that are big, urgent and neglected.—
ByBryan Robinson,
Forbes.com,
9 May 2026
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Cinematographer Guillermo Garza shoots neglected settings like fine art, embracing the grime.—
Amy Nicholson,
Los Angeles Times,
3 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
In goes a scoop of lard, then eight corn tortillas, fanned out and briskly dressed with onions, salsas rojo and verde, and ragged strips of beef.—
Ligaya Mishan,
New York Times,
11 May 2026
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Few have gotten more out of three ragged chords than Diamond did in his first Top 10 single.—
Mikael Wood,
Los Angeles Times,
6 May 2026
Adjective
-
Leaving the faded flowers on these plants will ensure seeds develop to nurture the next generation of blooms.—
Kim Toscano,
Southern Living,
12 May 2026
-
When deadheading, cut where the blossom's stem joins the rest of the plant—in other words, remove not only the faded flower, but the tiny stem attached to it as well.—
Samantha Johnson,
Martha Stewart,
10 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Shabby.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shabby. Accessed 20 May. 2026.
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