seedy

adjective

ˈsē-dē How to pronounce seedy (audio)
seedier; seediest
Synonyms of seedy
1
: containing or full of seeds
a seedy fruit
2
: inferior in condition or quality: such as
a
: shabby, run-down
seedy clothes
b
: somewhat disreputable
a seedy district
a seedy lawyer
c
: slightly unwell : debilitated
felt seedy and went home early
seedily
ˈsē-də-lē How to pronounce seedy (audio)
adverb
seediness
ˈsē-dē-nəs How to pronounce seedy (audio)
noun

Synonyms of seedy

Relevance
See All Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus

Examples of seedy in a Sentence

He was wearing a seedy suit. a seedy area of the city
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.
Social media ahead of the Lincoln’s visit has been awash with jibes about lusty sailors, but recent visitors say the development of more family-friendly attractions means the new, more wholesome Pattaya overshadows its former seedy self. — Grant Peck, Los Angeles Times, 2 Sep. 2026 Pattaya, a popular beach destination about 150 kilometers (93 miles) southeast of Bangkok, is also known for its seedier night scene. — ABC News, 1 Sep. 2026 That explodes into action in one startlingly seedy scene involving a rape in full view of revelers at a hotel party. — Beatrice Loayza, Variety, 30 Aug. 2026 Playing in a seedy Bowery bar to a small group of fellow struggling musicians, the band struck a chord of disharmony that rocked the foundation of the mid-seventies music scene. — Anthony D'alessandro, Deadline, 26 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for seedy

Word History

First Known Use

1574, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of seedy was in 1574

Rhymes for seedy

See All Rhymes for seedy

Browse Nearby Words

seed weevil
seedy
seedy buckberry
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Seedy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/seedy. Accessed 7 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation

Kids Definition

seedy

adjective
ˈsēd-ē How to pronounce seedy (audio)
seedier; seediest
1
: containing or full of seeds
a seedy fruit
2
: not being in good shape : shabby
seedy clothes
seediness noun
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

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

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of gist

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

A List of Most Commonly Confused Words

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

Stay Woke

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Words of the Week - Sept. 4
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

The Longest Long Words List

Stay Woke
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
anagrams on a chalk board
Word Builder Quiz Vol. 2 Pick the letter that when added to a word will ma...
See All