adj
scruffy
SKRUHF-ee
adj
1
Untidy or shabby in appearance.
"He showed up in a scruffy t-shirt and jeans."
"The scruffy old dog wandered into the yard."
How to Use Scruffy
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishMessy, unkempt, or shabby-looking.
Common pairings
scruffy beard
scruffy dog
look scruffy
Word Forms
scruffier comparative, scruffies plural, scruffiest superlative
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He showed up in a _____ t-shirt and jeans.
Etymology
From scruff + -y, originally describing something flaky or unkempt-looking, like scurf on skin.