as in sloppy
lacking neatness in dress or person
for the sake of their image, the band members transformed themselves from clean-cut lads to slovenly rockers
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in sloppily
in a careless or unfashionable manner
an employee who went overboard on dress-down day and was reprimanded for dressing slovenly on the job
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Recent Examples of slovenly
Stephen Pyne, Scientific American, 16 Apr. 2024
Giraffes at least keep the water sports to themselves; their slovenly, muck-loving neighbors, on the other hand, spread the excrement far and wide.
—Cody Cottier, Discover Magazine, 13 Mar. 2024
Slough House is headed by the slovenly, flatulent, and frequently intoxicated Jackson Lamb (Gary Oldman), who routinely heaps verbal abuse on his staff.
—Ars Staff, Ars Technica, 29 Dec. 2023
In this era of slovenly journalism and educational malpractice, National Review Institute’s devotion to authentic history, reasoned debate, and insightful commentary is invaluable.
—Peter J. Travers, National Review, 30 Dec. 2023
See All Example Sentences for slovenly
Adjective
To them, flame is slovenly, backward, even atavistic, tolerable only when used for ceremonial purposes.
—Stephen Pyne, Scientific American, 16 Apr. 2024
Giraffes at least keep the water sports to themselves; their slovenly, muck-loving neighbors, on the other hand, spread the excrement far and wide.
—Cody Cottier, Discover Magazine, 13 Mar. 2024
Slough House is headed by the slovenly, flatulent, and frequently intoxicated Jackson Lamb (Gary Oldman), who routinely heaps verbal abuse on his staff.
—Ars Staff, Ars Technica, 29 Dec. 2023
In this era of slovenly journalism and educational malpractice, National Review Institute’s devotion to authentic history, reasoned debate, and insightful commentary is invaluable.
—Peter J. Travers, National Review, 30 Dec. 2023
See All Example Sentences for slovenly
Recent Examples of Synonyms for slovenly
Adjective
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Los Alamitos tied the game in the third due to some sloppy defense from the Eagles.—
Michael Huntley,
Oc Register,
23 May 2025
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José had sent it as a freebie after Akasha complained about sloppy packaging on previous bark orders and threatened to switch to a new source in Peru.—
Andy Greenberg,
Wired News,
22 May 2025
Adjective
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Stir in buttermilk, sour cream, and chives until a shaggy dough forms.—
Alana Al-Hatlani,
Southern Living,
5 May 2025
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The cut takes inspiration from shaggy '70s and ’90s haircuts, but celebrities like Sydney Sweeney and Kaia Gerber have brought the style back into the spotlight.—
Liv Holland,
Allure,
30 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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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
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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
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Even her confession of her untidy bathroom eschews the pedestal of celebrity.—
Jessica Ourisman,
Forbes.com,
11 Apr. 2025
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Research published in Personal Relationships reflects this trend: Women often feel burdened by men’s untidy habits such as leaving messes.—
Mark Travers,
Forbes.com,
31 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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Felix, a neat freak, moves in with his messy best friend Oscar following his divorce, and their relationship is put to the test — and then some.—
Erin Clack,
People.com,
25 May 2025
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There, Parker stuck to her middle part, messy waves and played with pattern clashing, wearing a button-up, floral midi dress under a turquoise jacket decoarted in white polka dots.—
Kaleigh Werner,
Footwear News,
24 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Slovenly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/slovenly. Accessed 4 Jun. 2025.
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