SHABBY: Synonyms and Related Words. What is Another Word for SHABBY?

Need another word that means the same as “shabby”? Find 43 synonyms and 30 related words for “shabby” in this overview.

The synonyms of “Shabby” are: moth-eaten, ratty, tatty, down at heel, scruffy, uncared-for, neglected, dilapidated, in disrepair, ramshackle, tumbledown, well worn, worn, old, threadbare, mangy, ragged, frayed, tattered, battered, decrepit, falling apart at the seams, contemptible, despicable, dishonourable, disreputable, discreditable, mean, base, low, dirty, shameful, sorry, ignoble, unfair, unworthy, ungenerous, unkind, ungentlemanly, cheap, shoddy, unpleasant, nasty

Shabby as an Adjective

Definitions of "Shabby" as an adjective

According to the Oxford Dictionary of English, “shabby” as an adjective can have the following definitions:

• In poor condition through long use or lack of care.
• (of behaviour) mean and unfair.
• Mean and unworthy and despicable.
• Dressed in old or worn clothes.
• Showing signs of wear and tear.

Synonyms of "Shabby" as an adjective (43 Words)

base	Serving as or forming a base. An attempt to eliminate the base coinage.
battered	Having suffered repeated violence from a spouse, partner, or parent. Battered babies.
cheap	Of very poor quality; flimsy. A cheap restaurant.
contemptible	Deserving of contempt or scorn. A display of contemptible cowardice.
decrepit	Worn and broken down by hard use. A decrepit bus its seats held together with friction tape.
despicable	Morally reprehensible. A despicable crime.
dilapidated	(of a building or object) in a state of disrepair or ruin as a result of age or neglect. The tank was now rather dilapidated.
discreditable	Tending to bring discredit or disrepute; blameworthy. His marks were not at all discreditable.
dishonourable	Lacking honor or integrity; deserving dishonor. His crimes are petty and dishonourable.
disreputable	Lacking respectability in character or behavior or appearance. He was heavy grubby and vaguely disreputable.
down at heel	Filled with melancholy and despondency.
falling apart at the seams	Decreasing in amount or degree.
frayed	Worn away or tattered along the edges. An effort to soothe frayed nerves.
ignoble	Of humble origin or social status. I think it a less evil that some criminals should escape than that the government should play an ignoble part.
in disrepair	Directed or bound inward.
low	Subdued or brought low in condition or status. The low neckline of her blouse.
mangy	In poor condition; shabby. A mangy carpet.
mean	Excellent. Taking a mean advantage.
moth-eaten	Worn or eaten away by (or as if by) moths.
nasty	Damaging or harmful. A nasty shock.
neglected	Disregarded. Some severely neglected children.
old	Used informally especially for emphasis old adj of a very early stage in development. He gave his old clothes away.
ragged	Being or dressed in clothes that are worn or torn. A ragged tramp.
ramshackle	In deplorable condition. A ramshackle cottage.
ratty	Bad-tempered and irritable. A ratty old overcoat.
scruffy	Shabby and untidy- Mark Twain. A surge of ragged scruffy children.
shameful	Worthy of or causing shame or disgrace. The wicked rascally shameful conduct of the bankrupt.
shoddy	Cheap and shoddy Judith Crist. We re not paying good money for shoddy goods.
sorry	Causing dejection. I m sorry you were saying.
tattered	Worn to shreds; or wearing torn or ragged clothing. The tattered remnants of my pride.
tatty	Tastelessly showy. The generally tatty output of the current Celtic revival.
threadbare	Repeated too often; overfamiliar through overuse. Threadbare rugs.
tumbledown	(of a building or other structure) falling or fallen into ruin; dilapidated. Tumbledown cottages.
uncared-for	Lacking needed care and attention.
unfair	Not based on or behaving according to the principles of equality and justice. Took an unfair advantage.
ungenerous	Lacking in magnanimity. He was not an ungenerous man.
ungentlemanly	Not appropriate to or behaving like a gentleman. An ungentlemanly lack of sportsmanship.
unkind	Deficient in humane and kindly feelings. The unkindest cut of all.
unpleasant	Offensive or disagreeable; causing discomfort or unhappiness. When drunk he could become very unpleasant.
unworthy	Morally reprehensible. Dispel a student whose conduct is deemed unworthy.
well worn	Resulting favorably.
worn	Damaged and shabby as a result of much use. The worn pockets on the jacket.

Usage Examples of "Shabby" as an adjective

• A conscript in a shabby uniform saluted the car.
• Snooping, was he? That's a shabby trick.
• Shabby furniture.
• A shabby fellow in slippers and an undershirt.
• Shabby treatment.

Associations of "Shabby" (30 Words)

decayed	Damaged by decay; hence unsound and useless. A decayed foundation.
dilapidated	In deplorable condition. The tank was now rather dilapidated.
fetid	Offensively malodorous. The fetid water of the marsh.
filthy	Contemptible (used for emphasis. Had a filthy mouth.
foul	Commit a foul break the rules. A foul tackle.
grimy	Covered with or characterized by grime. The grimy industrial city.
malodorous	Having an unpleasant smell. Leaking taps and malodorous drains.
mangy	In poor condition; shabby. A girl in a mangy fur coat.
mop	To wash or wipe with or as if with a mop. We rearranged the room swept and mopped.
obscenity	An extremely offensive word or expression. The book was banned for obscenity.
old	Past times especially in the phrase in days of old. A nineteen year old.
putrid	Morally corrupt or evil. A butcher who sold putrid meat.
rag	Play in ragtime. A piece of rag.
ragged	(of an animal) having a rough, shaggy coat. A ragged child.
rancid	Highly unpleasant; repugnant. Rancid bacon.
rotten	Very bad. He believed that the whole art business was rotten.
scabrous	Dealing with salacious or indecent material. A scabrous novel.
seamy	Morally degraded- Seattle Weekly. A seamy sex scandal.
smell	Smell bad. The whole thing is beginning to smell very fishy.
squalid	Morally degraded. The squalid atmosphere of intrigue and betrayal.
stale	Make or become stale. A top executive tends to get stale.
stinking	Very bad. He was locked in a stinking cell.
tatter	A small piece of cloth or paper.
tatty	Of poor quality. An old house with dirty windows and tatty curtains.
toothed	Having an irregularly notched or toothed margin as though gnawed. Saw toothed.
unclean	Having a physical or moral blemish so as to make impure according to dietary or ceremonial laws-Leviticus 11:3. Unclean meat.
uneven	Not fairly matched as opponents. The floors are cracked and uneven.
vulgarity	The state or quality of being vulgar. He was seen as the embodiment of the vulgarity of the 1980s.