scruffy

adjective

ˈskrə-fē How to pronounce scruffy (audio)
scruffier; scruffiest
Synonyms of scruffynext
: unkempt, slovenly, shaggy
a scruffy neighborhood
a scruffy beard
scruffily
ˈskrə-fə-lē How to pronounce scruffy (audio)
adverb
scruffiness
ˈskrə-fē-nəs How to pronounce scruffy (audio)
noun

Synonyms of scruffy

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Examples of scruffy in a Sentence

The neighborhood is full of dilapidated houses with scruffy backyards. dressed in scruffy old clothes to clean out the garage
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Almost half of traders, portfolio managers and strategists in a recent Bloomberg poll support wearing shorts to work, but men in Silicon Valley are turning away from the look of the scruffy tech genius in shorts and flip-flops. — Brittney Melton, NPR, 31 Aug. 2026 Halfway into my second drink, a scruffy, tall guy with silvery blond hair from New York sat down next to me. — Andrea Javor, Los Angeles Times, 28 Aug. 2026 Over the course of the last three weeks, some of the biggest names in the business of reporting on (and pontificating about) sports media have transformed themselves into a scruffy simulacrum of the town elders from Footloose. — Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 11 Aug. 2026 Vibrant, free-spirited, and sometimes a little scruffy around the edges, some love it, others don’t—and Brighton is very ok with that. — Katie Silcox, Vogue, 6 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for scruffy

Word History

Etymology

scruff, metathetic variant of scurf (also with senses "something worthless or contemptible, contemptible person") + -y entry 1

First Known Use

1871, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of scruffy was in 1871

Rhymes for scruffy

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Browse Nearby Words

scruffman
scruffy
scrum
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Cite this Entry

“Scruffy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/scruffy. Accessed 4 Sep. 2026.

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Kids Definition

scruffy

adjective
ˈskrəf-ē How to pronounce scruffy (audio)
scruffier; scruffiest
: dirty or shabby in appearance
a scruffy beard
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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