scraggly

adjective

scrag·​gly ˈskra-g(ə-)lē How to pronounce scraggly (audio)
: irregular in form or growth
scraggly hills
a scraggly beard
also : unkempt

Examples of scraggly in a Sentence

a scraggly little tree
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.
With a long, scraggly hairdo and beard, Frost's Hagrid wore corduroy pants and a few layers of jackets under a large coat. Jack Smart, People.com, 27 Aug. 2025 His scraggly beard seems grown to be wrenched. Roy Scranton august 20, Literary Hub, 20 Aug. 2025 In Berlin, parks are usually just some trees, scraggly wild grass, and rugged natural paths mixed in with a monument or statue here and there and several walls scattered with graffiti. Emily Manthei, Travel + Leisure, 19 July 2025 Bread crumbs • Props to the hair, makeup, and costuming departments for differentiating Kiki’s Simone from pre-Michaela Simone, who showed up to the island with a scraggly ponytail, a gray button-down, uneven skin, and scrawled tattoos. Caroline Framke, Vulture, 23 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for scraggly

Word History

Etymology

alteration of scraggling, perhaps irregular from scraggy entry 2

First Known Use

1849, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of scraggly was in 1849

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Scraggly.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/scraggly. Accessed 14 Sep. 2025.

Kids Definition

scraggly

adjective
scrag·​gly ˈskrag-(ə-)lē How to pronounce scraggly (audio)
scragglier; scraggliest
: of rough or uneven outline : ragged, unkempt
a scraggly beard
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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