scrubby

adjective

scrub·​by ˈskrə-bē How to pronounce scrubby (audio)
scrubbier; scrubbiest
1
: inferior in size or quality : stunted
scrubby cattle
2
: covered with or consisting of scrub
3

Examples of scrubby in a Sentence

changed into an old flannel shirt and a scrubby pair of jeans to clean out the garage
Recent Examples on the Web
These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
The forests will be scrubbier and more open. Keith Matheny, Freep.com, 27 Feb. 2023 Just to the south, in a clearing between stands of scrubby black spruce, a cow moose spotted the women and leapt to its feet, dashing away to the southeast and into a 32-acre area that the city is working to turn into a new snow dump site in West Anchorage. Emily Goodykoontz, Anchorage Daily News, 30 Nov. 2021 It is called scrubby flatwoods. Kevin Spear, orlandosentinel.com, 16 Oct. 2020 Stick to the gentler blue scour pads, the scrubby side of your sponge, or a Scrub Daddy/Mommy. Alex Beggs, Bon Appétit, 10 Feb. 2023 See all Example Sentences for scrubby 

Word History

Etymology

scrub entry 1

First Known Use

1591, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of scrubby was in 1591

Dictionary Entries Near scrubby

Cite this Entry

“Scrubby.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/scrubby. Accessed 16 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

scrubby

adjective
scrub·​by ˈskrəb-ē How to pronounce scrubby (audio)
scrubbier; scrubbiest
1
: of small size or poor quality : stunted
scrubby cattle
2
: covered with or consisting of scrub
a scrubby hill

More from Merriam-Webster on scrubby

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!