shabbier; shabbiest
1
: clothed with worn or seedy garments
a shabby hobo
2
a
: threadbare and faded from wear
a shabby sofa
b
: ill-kept : dilapidated
a shabby neighborhood
3
a
: mean, despicable, contemptible
must feel shabby … because of his compromises—
Nat Hentoff
Nat Hentoff
b
: ungenerous, unfair
laments the shabby way in which this country often treated a poet—Paul Engle
Paul Engle
c
: inferior in quality
shabby reasoning
Examples of shabby in a Sentence
The furniture was old and shabby.
He wore a shabby coat.
Her first apartment was pretty shabby.
They complained about the shabby treatment they received at the hotel.
Backing out of the deal was a shabby thing to do.
Recent Examples on the Web
Despite the French undertones, this vintage reproduction of, yes, a water fountain, works for a variety of garden aesthetics, including cottage, farmhouse, English, or shabby chic.
—Stephanie Osmanski, Better Homes & Gardens, 19 Mar. 2025
Bo Horvat, Barzal, Pageau and Casey Cizikas down the middle isn’t shabby; if Ritchie can force his way into the conversation within a year or two, even less so.
—Arthur Staple, The Athletic, 8 Mar. 2025
The huis close follows the clients and bar staff of a shabby cafe outside Paris in the early hours of the morning, who enter into a deadly pact when an elderly regular comes in and wins €294 million in the lottery.
—Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 16 Jan. 2025
The secret is to be intentional about your plans, so that the holiday feels luxurious and cozy versus shabby and lonely.
—Grace McCarty, SELF, 28 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for shabby
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Stephanie Osmanski, Better Homes & Gardens, 19 Mar. 2025
Bo Horvat, Barzal, Pageau and Casey Cizikas down the middle isn’t shabby; if Ritchie can force his way into the conversation within a year or two, even less so.
—Arthur Staple, The Athletic, 8 Mar. 2025
The huis close follows the clients and bar staff of a shabby cafe outside Paris in the early hours of the morning, who enter into a deadly pact when an elderly regular comes in and wins €294 million in the lottery.
—Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 16 Jan. 2025
The secret is to be intentional about your plans, so that the holiday feels luxurious and cozy versus shabby and lonely.
—Grace McCarty, SELF, 28 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for shabby
Articles Related to shabby
Cite this Entry
“Shabby.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/shabby. Accessed 24 Mar. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
shabby
adjective
shab·by
ˈshab-ē 
shabbier; shabbiest
1
: dressed in worn clothes
2
a
: worn and faded from wear
a shabby sofa
b
: ill kept : dilapidated
shabby houses
3
: not fair or generous
shabby treatment
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