shabby
word
Definition
Looking old, worn out, or in poor condition because of age or lack of care. It can also describe something not as good as expected, especially in a moral or social sense.
Usage & Nuances
'Shabby' is usually negative and informal. Common collocations: 'shabby clothes', 'shabby furniture', 'shabby treatment'. It can also imply moral criticism, as in 'shabby behavior', meaning unfair or mean actions. Do not confuse with 'shabby chic' (the style, which is positive).
Spanish: desgastado - raído - en mal estadoPortuguese (BR): desgastado - esfarrapado - mal conservadoPortuguese (PT): gasto - esfarrapado - em mau estadoChinese (Simplified): 破旧的 - 破烂的Chinese (Traditional): 破舊的 - 破爛的Hindi: जीर्ण-शीर्ण - पुराना - घिसा-पिटाArabic: مهترئ - بالٍ - رثّBengali: জীর্ণ - মলিনRussian: обшарпанный - потрёпанный - жалкий (о поступке)Japanese: みすぼらしい - ぼろぼろのVietnamese: tồi tàn - cũ kỹ - tồi tệ (về cách cư xử)Korean: 초라한 - 낡은 - 형편없는 (행동에 대해)Turkish: külüstür - bakımsız - ayıplanacak (davranış için)Urdu: خستہ حال - پرانا - قابلِ مذمت (برتاؤ)Indonesian: lusuh - usang - buruk (tentang perilaku)
Example Sentences
He wore a shabby old coat.
basic
The house looked shabby and neglected.
basic
She gave her friend a shabby gift.
basic
This sofa’s a bit shabby, but it’s still comfortable.
natural
That was a shabby way to treat your friend.
natural
After years of use, the playground equipment looked pretty shabby.
natural