1
as in sloppy
lacking neatness in dress or person
a dowdy old matron
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in inappropriate
marked by an obvious lack of style or good taste
the dowdy, beat-up furniture at the cheap motel
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of dowdy
Bonus points for Sarah Sherman’s dowdy character, who accidentally got on the Epstein list.
—
Rima Parikh, Vulture, 5 Oct. 2025
Once known for dowdy packaging and perhaps questionable tastes or ingredients, the products now compete with national name brands, sparking a shakeup among major food companies.
—Jordan Valinsky, CNN Money, 24 Sep. 2025
Defense leaders have sat on their hands, refusing to acknowledge the need for dowdy, run-of-the-mill tankers.
—Craig Hooper, Forbes.com, 26 Aug. 2025
Sadly for such drivers, though, the only mainstream hybrids available in North America are dowdy family cars and boxy SUVs.
—IEEE Spectrum, 31 Mar. 2010
See All Example Sentences for dowdy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dowdy
Adjective
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The soft knit fabric drapes just right, giving that relaxed vibe without looking sloppy.—
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Practice had been a bit a sloppy at times, but San Diego State coach Brian Dutcher had a wide smile anyway Thursday afternoon.—
Adjective
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What readers are saying The comments largely focus on the need for the boyfriend to set boundaries with his sister, who exhibits possessive and inappropriate behavior.—
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The judge seemed to express skepticism toward the defense's argument that officers recovering Mangione's backpack and taking it to the station for examination was inappropriate.—
Adjective
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After Frost’s retirement in 2001, with conglomerates having become deeply unfashionable, other parts of the company were sold and Hays became a focused staffing and recruitment business.—
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Whatever Gentiles might have thought in private, the Nazis had made overt antisemitism unfashionable, even odious.—
Adjective
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Van Sant was impressed by Elwes’s preparation and physical transformation, with his shaggy hair and bushy beard.—
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To go with her new gal on the go lifestyle, she's chopped off her iconic perm in favor of a whimsical, shaggy pixie cut.—
Adjective
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Soils that are high in peat moss are unsuitable for citrus trees.—
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These tests, though frequently used in Denmark as part of child protection investigations, were criticized as inappropriate and unsuitable for the people of Greenland and other minorities.—
Adjective
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Psychosis, disorganization, unkempt, urinating inappropriately.—
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Her thick, unkempt eyebrows furrow.—
Adjective
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Everything was really incorrect for the period—shiny, sparkly, overdone—but the actual shapes and silhouettes of his clothes are quite accurate.—
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Avoid harsh or incorrect cleaners and follow manufacturer guidance to protect coatings, airflow, and internal components.—
Adjective
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To Washington, a beard made a man look unkempt and slovenly, masking the higher emotions that civility required.—
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The other near certainty in Lead Actor should be Gary Oldman, who anchors Slow Horses with a slovenly charisma that is, against all odds, deeply watchable.—
Cite this Entry
“Dowdy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dowdy. Accessed 12 Jan. 2026.
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