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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of shabby
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
That's not too shabby, considering that battery is feeding a 750-watt rear hub motor.
—Joe Salas
april 07, New Atlas, 7 Apr. 2026
If Serena van der Woodsen had to end up with someone other than Dan Humphrey, Ryan Reynolds isn't too shabby a choice.
—Rachel Desantis, Entertainment Weekly, 6 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for shabby
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
That's not too shabby, considering that battery is feeding a 750-watt rear hub motor.
—Joe Salas
april 07, New Atlas, 7 Apr. 2026
If Serena van der Woodsen had to end up with someone other than Dan Humphrey, Ryan Reynolds isn't too shabby a choice.
—Rachel Desantis, Entertainment Weekly, 6 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for shabby
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shabby
Adjective
-
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
-
Longtime Oak Lawn Village Board member Timothy Desmond has resigned from his post to enter into a contract with the village through his home building company to restore dilapidated properties, with the goal of putting them back on the tax rolls.—
Olivia Stevens,
Chicago Tribune,
28 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
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
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For Chicago, the shocking crimes are noteworthy contributors to its tattered national reputation — fair or not — for being unsafe and for criminal-justice policies perceived as being concerned more with the rights of those accused than the interests of those victimized.—
The Editorial Board,
Chicago Tribune,
28 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Cinematographer Guillermo Garza shoots neglected settings like fine art, embracing the grime.—
Amy Nicholson,
Los Angeles Times,
3 Apr. 2026
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An El Segundo father says that he was arrested in early March for taking matters into his own hands by installing stop signs and repainting a neglected and dangerous intersection.—
Jasmine Viel,
CBS News,
25 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
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
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By 1900, the Irish-speaking areas were a ragged patchwork of smallish standalone zones, clinging to the island’s western and southern shores.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
4 May 2026
Adjective
-
Jenner opted to wear a pair of faded yellow jeans, a Guizio white tank top and a belly chain.—
Gabrielle Rockson,
PEOPLE,
22 Apr. 2026
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For the second time in a week, the Dodgers made a minor-league acquisition of a faded pitching prospect with impressive velocity but poor control.—
Bill Plunkett,
Oc Register,
18 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Shabby.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shabby. Accessed 8 May. 2026.
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