1
as in dilapidated
showing signs of advanced wear and tear and neglect
shabby wallpaper that was peeling from the walls
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of shabby
The steep rent and the shabby condition of the building, which significantly increases the overall costs of taking it on, have warded off other would-be buyers.
—
Kim Velsey, Curbed, 3 Feb. 2026
Flagg wasn’t too shabby, either, with a career-best 49 points to go with 10 rebounds.
—Roderick Boone, Charlotte Observer, 30 Jan. 2026
Not shabby, but nowhere near the number reported for the Peltz family.
—Lizzie Lanuza, StyleCaster, 28 Jan. 2026
They are fascinated by this impoverished district of docks and shabby warehouses, associated in the popular imagination with Asian sailors, white slavery, and cholera.
—Hari Kunzru, Harpers Magazine, 27 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for shabby
Kim Velsey, Curbed, 3 Feb. 2026
Flagg wasn’t too shabby, either, with a career-best 49 points to go with 10 rebounds.
—Roderick Boone, Charlotte Observer, 30 Jan. 2026
Not shabby, but nowhere near the number reported for the Peltz family.
—Lizzie Lanuza, StyleCaster, 28 Jan. 2026
They are fascinated by this impoverished district of docks and shabby warehouses, associated in the popular imagination with Asian sailors, white slavery, and cholera.
—Hari Kunzru, Harpers Magazine, 27 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for shabby
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shabby
Adjective
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The project was planned to clear the area of outdated and dilapidated buildings, to attract new businesses and promote economic revitalization.—
Jessica Alvarado Gamez,
Denver Post,
27 Jan. 2026
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The trip could also see China give the go-ahead for the UK to rebuild its dilapidated embassy in Beijing.—
Brendan Murray,
Bloomberg,
27 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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Enter Tyrannio, a Greek specialist in literature and libraries, owner of some 30,000 scrolls and famed expert on Aristotle — in fact, the same man responsible for restoring the philosopher’s tattered library after it was hauled to Rome.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
9 Feb. 2026
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Concerns about the project and the tattered state of the street have been raised at local community planning meetings, with some wondering whether the work had stalled for some reason.—
Ashley Mackin Solomon,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
6 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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The department issued heavy fines and ultimately shuttered a neglected building in Denver’s uptown neighborhood last year that was owned by CBZ Management.—
Sam Tabachnik,
Denver Post,
8 Jan. 2026
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The narrative highlights the growing, unseen populations of lonely and neglected individuals, shedding light on a vital but often ignored aspect of public care.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
9 Dec. 2025
Adjective
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Also consider that monstera is sometimes called swiss cheese plant, with leaves that develop ragged holes over time.—
Lee Wallender,
The Spruce,
4 Feb. 2026
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At 836,000 square miles, Greenland is nearly 80 percent ice, a frozen leaf dangling in the far North Atlantic with dramatic, ragged edges, impossibly sheer cliffs that dwarf even El Capitan, and a massive ice sheet as thick as 11,000 feet.—
Tim Neville,
Outside,
23 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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Manny Pacquiao’s attempt to extend his boxing career toward an Olympic appearance at 45 ran into age‑limit rules and concerns about the optics and health risks of watching a faded great take more punishment.—
Nick Lichtenberg,
Fortune,
9 Feb. 2026
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The latter sees a faded star eyeing a possible comeback and encountering all sorts of ghosts from his past.—
Marta Balaga,
Variety,
6 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Shabby.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shabby. Accessed 16 Feb. 2026.
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