1
as in sloppy
lacking neatness in dress or person
a dowdy old matron
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in inappropriate
marked by an obvious lack of style or good taste
the dowdy, beat-up furniture at the cheap motel
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Examples Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of dowdy
The roving camera seems to hunt Blanchett through her character’s London townhouse and hip industrial office space, both impeccably rendered in contrast with Stephen’s dowdy row house by production designer Neil Lamont and set decorator Pancho Chamorro.
—
Alison Herman, Variety, 11 Oct. 2024
Shady events are a thing, too, as consumers are warned to beware of losing good money buying tickets for fake festivals, dowdy parties and counterfeit ticket scams.
—Susan Tompor, Detroit Free Press, 26 Sep. 2024
The refresh of what was a dowdy waterfront area into a high-cost residential section is called the Waterfront di Levante project.
—Michael Verdon, Robb Report, 24 Sep. 2024
Sara, a dowdy lonely tax inspector determined on retirement, has the chance to go out in glory, proving a Latina pop star is guilty of tax evasion.
—John Hopewell, Variety, 20 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for dowdy 
Alison Herman, Variety, 11 Oct. 2024
Shady events are a thing, too, as consumers are warned to beware of losing good money buying tickets for fake festivals, dowdy parties and counterfeit ticket scams.
—Susan Tompor, Detroit Free Press, 26 Sep. 2024
The refresh of what was a dowdy waterfront area into a high-cost residential section is called the Waterfront di Levante project.
—Michael Verdon, Robb Report, 24 Sep. 2024
Sara, a dowdy lonely tax inspector determined on retirement, has the chance to go out in glory, proving a Latina pop star is guilty of tax evasion.
—John Hopewell, Variety, 20 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for dowdy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dowdy
Adjective
-
The word out of Arizona is that Kingsbury’s Cardinals teams were too often sloppy and undisciplined and that his full-team leadership skills and oversight have been lacking.Dan Wiederer, Chicago Tribune, 15 Jan. 2025
-
In the unreliable reality the older Owen inhabits, his favorite childhood show was in fact silly, sloppy, and decidedly low-stakes.Samantha Allen, Them, 14 Jan. 2025
Adjective
-
In his Wednesday interview on French radio, French FM Barrot suggested that Musk's interventions in European nations' domestic politics were even more inappropriate because Musk is part of President-elect Trump's government-in-waiting.Tom Soufi Burridge, ABC News, 9 Jan. 2025
-
John Anthony Ayala, of Colton and who previously worked at Inland Peak Performance and F1 Training in San Bernardino, sent inappropriate texts to the girl, according to a Jan. 3 news release by the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department Highland station.Paloma Chavez, Sacramento Bee, 7 Jan. 2025
Adjective
-
Marino is an eclectic collector, often choosing unfashionable objects like cookie jars, or Renaissance and Baroque bronzes.Miles Socha, WWD, 5 Dec. 2024
-
In a squad enriched with European pedigree, Cash is one of the more unfashionable players, less flashy, more functional.Jacob Tanswell, The Athletic, 21 Nov. 2024
Adjective
-
Continue on with Banana Republic’s shaggy knit cardigan, a pair of knee-high boots from Jeffrey Campbell, and finally, H&M’s leopard-print ’90s bag.Laura Jackson, Vogue, 9 Jan. 2025
-
And there's an endearingly shaggy side to this film, all the more shocking given its then-record cost.Darren Franich, EW.com, 7 Jan. 2025
Adjective
-
This mismatch results in recruiters spending excessive time reviewing unsuitable applications, with 22% dedicating three to five hours daily to this task.Jack Kelly, Forbes, 15 Jan. 2025
-
Uncovering a Forgotten History The discovery was initiated by a 1930s agricultural report referencing untended land filled with graves and trees—an area unsuitable for cultivation.Gordon G. Chang, Newsweek, 12 Dec. 2024
Adjective
-
Most wine lovers know that the word Sauvignon comes from the French word sauvage and the word blanc simply means white, but most people don’t know the reason is because when untrained vines of the variety have a distinctly unkempt appearance.Mike DeSimone and Jeff Jenssen, Robb Report, 4 Nov. 2024
-
But, as in these United States, the key question remains whether creeping totalitarianism — from the left and the right — will squeeze everyday people out of their inalienable right to just be their sometimes obnoxious, unkempt, idiosyncratic selves.Ed Wallace, New York Daily News, 6 June 2024
Adjective
-
The piece is an antique that wasn't fashionable for many decades, but many jewels once considered fussy or unstylish have now been embraced again.Stephanie Petit, Peoplemag, 8 Dec. 2023
-
Slippery soles, cold toes, and unstylish footwear should be avoided at all costs.Roxanne Adamiyatt, Town & Country, 29 Dec. 2022
Adjective
-
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, Ars Technica, 24 Dec. 2024
-
Corruption within the organization, after all, is as much a part of the show as Jackson Lamb’s slovenly habits and horrible diet.Kathryn VanArendonk, Vulture, 9 Oct. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near dowdy
Cite this Entry
“Dowdy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dowdy. Accessed 20 Jan. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share