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

See All Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus

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.
On Wednesday, April 2, the Grammy winner, 31, was spotted out and about in London rocking a seriously scruffy look. — Catherine Santino, People.com, 2 Apr. 2025 Bravo was spotted rocking a scruffy full beard and a longer hairdo. — Charna Flam, People.com, 24 Mar. 2025 And it’s paid off; Laymon notes that several people are surprised to see his name in the end credits and even more shocked to realize that the grizzled man sporting scruffy stubble is Stewart. — Jenelle Riley, Variety, 21 Mar. 2025 The video, which features scruffy cartoons, including a tech-obsessed nun, exploded. — thehustle.co, 21 Mar. 2025 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

See All Rhymes for scruffy

Browse Nearby Words

scruffman
scruffy
scrum
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Scruffy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/scruffy. Accessed 12 Apr. 2025.

Copy Citation

Share

Kids Definition

scruffy

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

More from Merriam-Webster on scruffy

Nglish: Translation of scruffy for Spanish Speakers

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!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Words in Disguise: Do these seem familiar?

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

Words You Always Have to Look Up

Democracy or Republic: What's the difference?

Every Letter Is Silent, Sometimes: A-Z List of Examples
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

What do SCOTUS, POTUS, and FLOTUS mean?

'When Pigs Fly' and Other Barnyard Idioms

8 Words with Fascinating Histories

8 Words for Lesser-Known Musical Instruments

Birds Say the Darndest Things
See More

Popular

See More

Words in Disguise: Do these seem familiar?

What do SCOTUS, POTUS, and FLOTUS mean?

'When Pigs Fly' and Other Barnyard Idioms
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 Word Game 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?
Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
a game of hangman on lined paper
Hangman Lightning Round Figure out which word fits in the blanks.
See All