Meanings
comparative shabbier · superlative shabbiest
- Of clothing, a place, etc.: unkempt and worn or otherwise in poor condition due to age or neglect; scruffy.
They lived in a tiny apartment, with some old, shabby furniture.
5 more examples
[A]s there was a stream of people pouring into a shabby house not far from the entrance, he waited until they had made their way in, […]
1838 March – 1839 October, Charles Dickens, “Nicholas seeks to employ himself in a New Capacity, and being unsuccessful, accepts an engagement as Tutor in a Private Family”, in The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby, London: Chapman and Hall, […], published 1839, →OCLC, page 143[C]ommonplace books are generally new, or at least in fine bindings. And here was a shabby little old book, such as, if it had been commonplace, would not have been likely to be the companion of a young lady at the bottom of a quarry— […]
1867, George MacDonald, “The Bishop’s Basin”, in Annals of a Quiet Neighbourhood […], volume I, London: Hurst and Blackett, publishers, successors to Henry Colburn, […], →OCLC, page 154[They] lived […] in one of the shabbiest streets in the debatable land between Pimlico and Chelsea—by courtesy, South Belgravia.
1882, [Mary Elizabeth Braddon], “‘And Pale from the Past We Draw nigh Thee’”, in Mount Royal […], volume II, London: John and Robert Maxwell […], →OCLC, page 179Miss Phyllis Morgan, as the hapless heroine dressed in the shabbiest of clothes, appears in the midst of a gay and giddy throng; she apostrophises all and sundry there, including the villain, and has a magnificent scene which always brings down the house, and nightly adds to her histrionic laurels.
1904–1905, Baroness Orczy [i.e., Emma Orczy], “The Affair at the Novelty Theatre”, in The Case of Miss Elliott, London: T[homas] Fisher Unwin, published 1905, →OCLC; republished as popular edition, London: Greening & Co., 1909, OCLC 11192831, quoted in The Case of Miss Elliott (ebook no. 2000141h.html), Australia: Project Gutenberg of Australia, February 2020[T]hings got shabbier and got shabbier summer after summer. The mat was fading; the wall-paper was flapping. You couldn't tell any more that those were roses on it. Still, if every door in a house is left perpetually open, and no lockmaker in the whole of Scotland can mend a bolt, things must spoil.
1927 May, Virginia Woolf, chapter 5, in To the Lighthouse (Uniform Edition of the Works of Virginia Woolf), new edition, London: Leonard and Virginia Woolf at the Hogarth Press, […], published 1930, →OCLC, part I (The Window), page 47Synonyms: decrepit, moth-eaten, run-down, timeworn, tired, tacky, clapped out, damaged
- Of a person: wearing ragged or very worn, and often dirty, clothing.
The fellow arrived looking rather shabby after journeying so far.
3 more examples
The ſame gentleman, vvhenever he vvanted credit for a ſuit of cloaths, alvvays made the propoſal in a laced coat; for he found by experience, that, if he appeared ſhabby on theſe occaſions, his taylor had taken an oath againſt truſting; […]
1765, [Oliver] Goldsmith, “Essay V”, in Essays. […], London: […] W[illiam] Griffin […], →OCLC, page 37She told her name, and vvas ſhevvn, by a little ſhabby foot-boy, into a parlour.
1782, [Frances Burney], “A Man of Wealth”, in Cecilia, or Memoirs of an Heiress. […], volume I, London: […] T[homas] Payne and Son […], and T[homas] Cadell […], →OCLC, book II, page 156He was an affectionate brother, always glad to do a good turn to his sisters—who lived with a shabby old half-pay father, […]
1882, [Mary Elizabeth Braddon], “And Pale from the Past We Draw Nigh to Thee”, in Mount Royal […], volume II, London: John and Robert Maxwell […], →OCLC, page 179 - figurativelyOf a person, their behaviour, etc.: despicable, mean; also, not generous; stingy, tight-fisted.
shabby treatment
4 more examples
"A thousand dollars are money, my father used to say when he drove fat oxen to market," replied John Wilde, in a mocking tone; "but it will not leave my hands for that shabby price; and, for my own part, it may ornament the foot of my daughter's doll."
1828, Thomas Keightley, The Fairy Mythology, volume I, London: William Harrison Ainsworth, page 316It was voted a shabby excuse.
1856, W[illiam] M[akepeace] Thackeray, “Of the Loves of Mr. Perkins and Miss Gorgon, and of the Two Great Factions in the Town of Oldborough”, in “The Bedford-Street Conspiracy”, in Miscellanies: Prose and Verse, volume III, London: Bradbury and Evans, […], →OCLC, page 473I, being more of a native, and familiar with their customs, knew that this shabby present was an insult to us.
1857, David Livingstone, chapter III, in Missionary Travels and Researches in South Africa; […], London: John Murray, […], →OCLC, page 68What shabby things a man will do when he's eaten up with jealousy! But what a comfort those shabby things are to him! […] I'm disgusted with myself for having stooped to such a contemptible act.
1892 January 4 (first performance), W[illiam] S[chwenck] Gilbert, librettist; Alfred Cellier, [Ivan Caryll], composers, […] The Mountebanks, London: Chappell & Co., […], published 1892, →OCLC, Act I, page 11Synonyms: ungenerous, as tight as Dick's hatband, cheap, cheeseparing, chintzy, close, close as wax, close-fisted
- figurativelyoften in the negativePoor in quality; also, showing little effort or talent.
His painting is not too shabby.
2 more examples
[M]y Lord Duke's entertainments were both ſeldom and ſhabby […]
1852, William Makepeace Thackeray, “The Campaign of 1707, 1708”, in The History of Henry Esmond, Esq. […] , volume II, London: […] Smith, Elder, & Company, […], →OCLC, page 252So unlooked-for a paradox required to be defended by the strongest arguments: who, then, would expect such shabby, not arguments, but hints of arguments, as the author presents us with?
1865, John Stuart Mill, “Of Some Minor Peculiarities of Doctrine in Sir William Hamilton’s View of Formal Logic”, in An Examination of Sir William Hamilton’s Philosophy, […], London: Longman, Green, Longman, Roberts & Green, →OCLC, page 448
present singular third person shabbies · participle present shabbying · participle past shabbied · past shabbied
- intransitiveTo become shabby; to shabbify.
You'll be one of those tough, square, solid middle-aged men, like a shabbying brown bear, your golden crew-cut greying judiciously at the temples.
1962, Doris Lessing, “The Golden Notebook”, in The Golden Notebook (Flamingo Modern Classics), London: Flamingo, HarperCollinsPublishers, published 1993, →ISBN, page 544
Synonyms & antonyms
adjectiveOf clothing, a place, etc.: unkempt and worn or otherwise in poor condition due to age or neglect; scruffy.
adjectiveOf a person, their behaviour, etc.: despicable, mean; also, not generous; stingy, tight-fisted.
More synonyms by meaning
adjectiveshowing signs of wear and tear
adjectivemean and unworthy and despicable
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
- Proto-Germanic*skabbaz
- Proto-West Germanic*skabb
- Old Englishsċeabb
- Middle Englishschabbe /shabbe
- Englishshab
- Englishshabby
The adjective is derived from shab (“(obsolete except UK, dialectal) scaly skin disease; skin disease of sheep; crust forming over wound, scab”) + -y (suffix meaning ‘having the quality of’ forming adjectives). The verb is derived from the adjective. Cognates * Dutch schabbig (“poor, needy, shabby”) * Middle High German schebic (modern German schäbig (“shabby”)) * Middle Low German schabbich (“miserable”) (modern Low German schabbig, schäbbig) * Scots shabby (“in poor health, ill”) * Swedish sjabbig (“shabby, mangy, scruffy”), skabbig (“scabby”)
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Arabic بَالٍ
- بَالٍ (bālin)of clothing, a place, etc.: unkempt and worn or otherwise in poor condition due to age or neglect — see also worn
Bulgarian износен, изтъркан
- износен (iznosen)of clothing, a place, etc.: unkempt and worn or otherwise in poor condition due to age or neglect — see also worn
- изтъркан (iztărkan)of clothing, a place, etc.: unkempt and worn or otherwise in poor condition due to age or neglect — see also worn
- захабен (zahaben)of clothing, a place, etc.: unkempt and worn or otherwise in poor condition due to age or neglect — see also worn
- дрипав (dripav)of a person: wearing ragged or very worn, and often dirty, clothing
- опърпан (opărpan)of a person: wearing ragged or very worn, and often dirty, clothing
- низък (nizăk)of a person, their behaviour, etc.: despicable, mean — see also despicable, mean
- подъл (podăl)of a person, their behaviour, etc.: despicable, mean — see also despicable, mean
Catalan tronat
- tronatof clothing, a place, etc.: unkempt and worn or otherwise in poor condition due to age or neglect — see also worn
Chinese Mandarin 破舊 /破旧, 破爛 /破烂
- 破舊 /破旧 (pòjiù)of clothing, a place, etc.: unkempt and worn or otherwise in poor condition due to age or neglect — see also worn
- 破爛 /破烂 (pòlàn)of a person: wearing ragged or very worn, and often dirty, clothing
- 卑鄙of a person, their behaviour, etc.: despicable, mean — see also despicable, mean
- 刻薄 (kèbó)of a person, their behaviour, etc.: despicable, mean — see also despicable, mean
Czech omšelý, ošuntělý
- omšelýof clothing, a place, etc.: unkempt and worn or otherwise in poor condition due to age or neglect — see also worn
- ošuntělýof clothing, a place, etc.: unkempt and worn or otherwise in poor condition due to age or neglect — see also worn
- zchátralýof clothing, a place, etc.: unkempt and worn or otherwise in poor condition due to age or neglect — see also worn
- ošuntělýof a person: wearing ragged or very worn, and often dirty, clothing
- otrhanýof a person: wearing ragged or very worn, and often dirty, clothing
- nečestnýof a person, their behaviour, etc.: despicable, mean — see also despicable, mean
- podlýof a person, their behaviour, etc.: despicable, mean — see also despicable, mean
- sprostýof a person, their behaviour, etc.: despicable, mean — see also despicable, mean
Dutch haveloos, slonzig
- haveloosof clothing, a place, etc.: unkempt and worn or otherwise in poor condition due to age or neglect — see also worn
- slonzigof clothing, a place, etc.: unkempt and worn or otherwise in poor condition due to age or neglect — see also worn
Finnish nuhjuinen, nuhruinen
- nuhjuinenof clothing, a place, etc.: unkempt and worn or otherwise in poor condition due to age or neglect — see also worn
- nuhruinenof clothing, a place, etc.: unkempt and worn or otherwise in poor condition due to age or neglect — see also worn
- nukkavieruof clothing, a place, etc.: unkempt and worn or otherwise in poor condition due to age or neglect — see also worn
- nuhjuinenof a person: wearing ragged or very worn, and often dirty, clothing
- nuhruinenof a person: wearing ragged or very worn, and often dirty, clothing
- nukkavieruof a person: wearing ragged or very worn, and often dirty, clothing
- onnetonof a person, their behaviour, etc.: despicable, mean — see also despicable, mean
- surkeaof a person, their behaviour, etc.: despicable, mean — see also despicable, mean
- tehdä nuhjuiseksi(transitive) to make (something) shabby; (intransitive) to become shabby
- tehdä nuhruiseksi(transitive) to make (something) shabby; (intransitive) to become shabby
French élimé, miteux
- éliméof clothing, a place, etc.: unkempt and worn or otherwise in poor condition due to age or neglect — see also worn
- miteuxof clothing, a place, etc.: unkempt and worn or otherwise in poor condition due to age or neglect — see also worn
- râpéof clothing, a place, etc.: unkempt and worn or otherwise in poor condition due to age or neglect — see also worn
- uséof clothing, a place, etc.: unkempt and worn or otherwise in poor condition due to age or neglect — see also worn
- minableof a person, their behaviour, etc.: despicable, mean — see also despicable, mean
German schäbig, schäbig
- schäbigof clothing, a place, etc.: unkempt and worn or otherwise in poor condition due to age or neglect — see also worn
- schäbigof a person: wearing ragged or very worn, and often dirty, clothing
- schäbigof a person, their behaviour, etc.: despicable, mean — see also despicable, mean
Italian logoro, meschino
- logoroof clothing, a place, etc.: unkempt and worn or otherwise in poor condition due to age or neglect — see also worn
- meschinoof a person, their behaviour, etc.: despicable, mean — see also despicable, mean
Japanese ぼろぼろ, ぼろぼろ
- ぼろぼろ (boroboro)of clothing, a place, etc.: unkempt and worn or otherwise in poor condition due to age or neglect — see also worn
- ぼろぼろ (boroboro)of a person: wearing ragged or very worn, and often dirty, clothing
Korean 누추
- 누추 (nuchu)of clothing, a place, etc.: unkempt and worn or otherwise in poor condition due to age or neglect — see also worn
Māori kanukanu, pūtaitai
- kanukanuof clothing, a place, etc.: unkempt and worn or otherwise in poor condition due to age or neglect — see also worn
- pūtaitaiof clothing, a place, etc.: unkempt and worn or otherwise in poor condition due to age or neglect — see also worn
- taretareof clothing, a place, etc.: unkempt and worn or otherwise in poor condition due to age or neglect — see also worn
Portuguese esbodegado, esfarrapado
- esbodegadoof clothing, a place, etc.: unkempt and worn or otherwise in poor condition due to age or neglect — see also worn
- esfarrapadoof clothing, a place, etc.: unkempt and worn or otherwise in poor condition due to age or neglect — see also worn
- estropiadoof clothing, a place, etc.: unkempt and worn or otherwise in poor condition due to age or neglect — see also worn
- esfarrapadoof a person: wearing ragged or very worn, and often dirty, clothing
- toscoof a person, their behaviour, etc.: despicable, mean — see also despicable, mean
Romanian ponosit, sărăcăcios
- ponositof clothing, a place, etc.: unkempt and worn or otherwise in poor condition due to age or neglect — see also worn
- sărăcăciosof clothing, a place, etc.: unkempt and worn or otherwise in poor condition due to age or neglect — see also worn
- uzatof clothing, a place, etc.: unkempt and worn or otherwise in poor condition due to age or neglect — see also worn
- zdrențărosof clothing, a place, etc.: unkempt and worn or otherwise in poor condition due to age or neglect — see also worn
- zdrențuitof a person: wearing ragged or very worn, and often dirty, clothing
- josnicof a person, their behaviour, etc.: despicable, mean — see also despicable, mean
- meschinof a person, their behaviour, etc.: despicable, mean — see also despicable, mean
- ticălosof a person, their behaviour, etc.: despicable, mean — see also despicable, mean
Russian ве́тхий, убо́гий
- ве́тхий (vétxij)of clothing, a place, etc.: unkempt and worn or otherwise in poor condition due to age or neglect — see also worn
- убо́гий (ubógij)of clothing, a place, etc.: unkempt and worn or otherwise in poor condition due to age or neglect — see also worn
- жа́лкий (žálkij)of clothing, a place, etc.: unkempt and worn or otherwise in poor condition due to age or neglect — see also worn
- запу́щенный (zapúščennyj)of clothing, a place, etc.: unkempt and worn or otherwise in poor condition due to age or neglect — see also worn
- захуда́лый (zaxudályj)of clothing, a place, etc.: unkempt and worn or otherwise in poor condition due to age or neglect — see also worn
- обветша́лый (obvetšályj)of a person: wearing ragged or very worn, and often dirty, clothing
- плюга́вый (pljugávyj)of a person: wearing ragged or very worn, and often dirty, clothing
- поно́шенный (ponóšennyj)of a person: wearing ragged or very worn, and often dirty, clothing
- потёртый (potjórtyj)of a person: wearing ragged or very worn, and often dirty, clothing
- потрёпанный (potrjópannyj)of a person: wearing ragged or very worn, and often dirty, clothing
- ве́тхий (vétxij)of a person: wearing ragged or very worn, and often dirty, clothing
- по́длый (pódlyj)of a person, their behaviour, etc.: despicable, mean — see also despicable, mean
Spanish astroso, cutre
- astrosoof clothing, a place, etc.: unkempt and worn or otherwise in poor condition due to age or neglect — see also worn
- cutreof clothing, a place, etc.: unkempt and worn or otherwise in poor condition due to age or neglect — see also worn
- raídoof clothing, a place, etc.: unkempt and worn or otherwise in poor condition due to age or neglect — see also worn
- zarrapastrosoof clothing, a place, etc.: unkempt and worn or otherwise in poor condition due to age or neglect — see also worn
- andrajosoof a person: wearing ragged or very worn, and often dirty, clothing
- desarrapadoof a person: wearing ragged or very worn, and often dirty, clothing
- desharrapadoof a person: wearing ragged or very worn, and often dirty, clothing
- harapientoof a person: wearing ragged or very worn, and often dirty, clothing
- zarrapastrosoof a person: wearing ragged or very worn, and often dirty, clothing
Swedish sjabbig, maläten
- sjabbigof clothing, a place, etc.: unkempt and worn or otherwise in poor condition due to age or neglect — see also worn
- malätenof clothing, a place, etc.: unkempt and worn or otherwise in poor condition due to age or neglect — see also worn
- sjavigof clothing, a place, etc.: unkempt and worn or otherwise in poor condition due to age or neglect — see also worn
- slitenof clothing, a place, etc.: unkempt and worn or otherwise in poor condition due to age or neglect — see also worn
- luggslitenof a person: wearing ragged or very worn, and often dirty, clothing
- sjavigof a person: wearing ragged or very worn, and often dirty, clothing
- sjaskigof a person, their behaviour, etc.: despicable, mean — see also despicable, mean
Rhymes & wordplay
Rhymes with shabby
All rhymes →Cite this entry
shabby. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/shabby
“shabby.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/shabby. Accessed November 2, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “shabby,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/shabby.
Source: shabby on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.