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
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Recent Examples of dowdy
The roving camera seems to hunt Blanchett through her character’s London townhouse and hip industrial office space, both impeccably rendered in contrast with Stephen’s dowdy row house by production designer Neil Lamont and set decorator Pancho Chamorro.
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Alison Herman, Variety, 11 Oct. 2024
Shady events are a thing, too, as consumers are warned to beware of losing good money buying tickets for fake festivals, dowdy parties and counterfeit ticket scams.
—Susan Tompor, Detroit Free Press, 26 Sep. 2024
The refresh of what was a dowdy waterfront area into a high-cost residential section is called the Waterfront di Levante project.
—Michael Verdon, Robb Report, 24 Sep. 2024
Sara, a dowdy lonely tax inspector determined on retirement, has the chance to go out in glory, proving a Latina pop star is guilty of tax evasion.
—John Hopewell, Variety, 20 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for dowdy 
Alison Herman, Variety, 11 Oct. 2024
Shady events are a thing, too, as consumers are warned to beware of losing good money buying tickets for fake festivals, dowdy parties and counterfeit ticket scams.
—Susan Tompor, Detroit Free Press, 26 Sep. 2024
The refresh of what was a dowdy waterfront area into a high-cost residential section is called the Waterfront di Levante project.
—Michael Verdon, Robb Report, 24 Sep. 2024
Sara, a dowdy lonely tax inspector determined on retirement, has the chance to go out in glory, proving a Latina pop star is guilty of tax evasion.
—John Hopewell, Variety, 20 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for dowdy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dowdy
Adjective
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Their puck play was sloppy, their penalty kill was awful and they got consistently outworked by the Canadiens.Matthew Fairburn, The Athletic, 18 Dec. 2024
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Another failed sloppy takedown briefly put Covington on the ground.Trent Reinsmith, Forbes, 15 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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The accusations include inappropriate touching and forcibly kissing an intern.Steve Bittenbender | The Center Square contributor, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 23 Dec. 2024
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This, of course, does not excuse inappropriate behavior toward customers.Tomas Gorny, Forbes, 23 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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Marino is an eclectic collector, often choosing unfashionable objects like cookie jars, or Renaissance and Baroque bronzes.Miles Socha, WWD, 5 Dec. 2024
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In a squad enriched with European pedigree, Cash is one of the more unfashionable players, less flashy, more functional.Jacob Tanswell, The Athletic, 21 Nov. 2024
Adjective
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The 28-year-old actor appeared on the Dec. 12 episode of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert with his latest look, a thin mustache and his normally long curly hair trimmed in a shorter, shaggy crop.Hedy Phillips, People.com, 13 Dec. 2024
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Take a cue from the Olsen handbook and look for shaggy details, longline shapes, and reversible designs.Cortne Bonilla, Vogue, 9 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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Human services settings can suffer tremendously from unsuitable employees, who may jeopardize the health, safety or dignity of those in their care.Debra Rinell, Forbes, 12 Dec. 2024
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That alone makes rainbow eucalyptus unsuitable for most yards, but this Southeast Asia native is also an invasive pest in the southernmost portions of the U.S. To avoid issues, some people are growing rainbow eucalyptus indoors.Luke Miller, Better Homes & Gardens, 10 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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Most wine lovers know that the word Sauvignon comes from the French word sauvage and the word blanc simply means white, but most people don’t know the reason is because when untrained vines of the variety have a distinctly unkempt appearance.Mike DeSimone and Jeff Jenssen, Robb Report, 4 Nov. 2024
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But, as in these United States, the key question remains whether creeping totalitarianism — from the left and the right — will squeeze everyday people out of their inalienable right to just be their sometimes obnoxious, unkempt, idiosyncratic selves.Ed Wallace, New York Daily News, 6 June 2024
Adjective
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The piece is an antique that wasn't fashionable for many decades, but many jewels once considered fussy or unstylish have now been embraced again.Stephanie Petit, Peoplemag, 8 Dec. 2023
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Slippery soles, cold toes, and unstylish footwear should be avoided at all costs.Roxanne Adamiyatt, Town & Country, 29 Dec. 2022
Adjective
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Slough House is headed by the slovenly, flatulent, and frequently intoxicated Jackson Lamb (Gary Oldman), who routinely heaps verbal abuse on his staff but is nonetheless a brilliant spymaster in his own smelly way.Ars Technica, Ars Technica, 24 Dec. 2024
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Corruption within the organization, after all, is as much a part of the show as Jackson Lamb’s slovenly habits and horrible diet.Kathryn VanArendonk, Vulture, 9 Oct. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near dowdy
Cite this Entry
“Dowdy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dowdy. Accessed 31 Dec. 2024.
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