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
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 shabby
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
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shabby
Adjective
-
Located inside an early 20th-century building, this dilapidated space has been given a new lease on life by the Parisian interior designer.—
Annabelle Dufraigne,
Architectural Digest,
8 Apr. 2025
-
Rows of young men in camouflage report for roll call in the shadow of dilapidated, battle-scarred buildings.—
Dominique Soguel,
Christian Science Monitor,
7 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
The other traditional party, the Liberal Party, has splintered between those who remain loyal to Zelaya and those who led the coup, including Mauricio Villeda, the presidential candidate who leads a tattered vestige of his party.—
Dana Frank,
Foreign Affairs,
22 Nov. 2013
-
What if standing up to Trump is the very thing that saves the Liberal Party, and Trudeau’s tattered legacy?—
Talib Visram,
TIME,
7 Feb. 2025
Adjective
-
By upcycling a neglected garment, Hirsch hopes to give someone the chance to experience the beauty and craftsmanship that goes into creating a piece.—
Tereza Shkurtaj,
People.com,
5 Apr. 2025
-
Some who have tolerated a static image on a neglected part of their screen may not be as accepting of more distracting ad formats.—
Ars Technica,
Ars Technica,
17 Mar. 2025
Adjective
-
Cocker was famous for his ragged, one-of-a-kind covers of other acts’ famous songs, with Joel comparing the late singer to such legendary song interpreters as Frank Sinatra.—
Gil Kaufman,
Billboard,
1 Apr. 2025
-
Grand Canyon didn’t do enough to punish Maryland for its ragged start.—
Baltimore Sun staff,
Baltimore Sun,
21 Mar. 2025
Adjective
-
Like Napoleon’s Uncle Rico, who dwells on his long-ago high-school-football days, Garrett is living in the faded aura of past glory: in his case, a 1989 video-game championship.—
Richard Brody,
New Yorker,
9 Apr. 2025
-
As thousands of migrants cycled through its faded lobby, the Roosevelt turned into a lightning rod in the country’s immigration debate: both as a reminder of the depth of the crisis and as shorthand for critics opposed to the expenditure of taxpayer money on migrants.—
Luis Ferré-Sadurní,
New York Times,
24 Feb. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Shabby.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shabby. Accessed 23 Apr. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share