as in dilapidated
showing signs of advanced wear and tear and neglect
changed into an old flannel shirt and a scrubby pair of jeans to clean out the garage
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of scrubby
Stick to the gentler blue scour pads, the scrubby side of your sponge, or a Scrub Daddy/Mommy.
—
Alex Beggs, Bon Appétit, 10 Feb. 2023
The rocky summit is partially protected by scrubby evergreens and a fire tower affords fantastic views of all of western Maine.
—Outside Online, 23 Nov. 2022
The rugged coasts are lined with scrubby grasses and smatterings of wildflowers, all the way up to the turquoise waters.
—Jessica Puckett, Condé Nast Traveler, 22 Nov. 2022
Mike Wood is a forager who can find edible plants in Utah at any time of the year, and in nearly any biome — in scrubby deserts and alpine meadows, or in urban neighborhoods, growing up through cracks in sidewalks or in unmowed street medians.
—Stefene Russell, The Salt Lake Tribune, 29 Oct. 2022
See All Example Sentences for scrubby
Alex Beggs, Bon Appétit, 10 Feb. 2023
The rocky summit is partially protected by scrubby evergreens and a fire tower affords fantastic views of all of western Maine.
—Outside Online, 23 Nov. 2022
The rugged coasts are lined with scrubby grasses and smatterings of wildflowers, all the way up to the turquoise waters.
—Jessica Puckett, Condé Nast Traveler, 22 Nov. 2022
Mike Wood is a forager who can find edible plants in Utah at any time of the year, and in nearly any biome — in scrubby deserts and alpine meadows, or in urban neighborhoods, growing up through cracks in sidewalks or in unmowed street medians.
—Stefene Russell, The Salt Lake Tribune, 29 Oct. 2022
See All Example Sentences for scrubby
Recent Examples of Synonyms for scrubby
Adjective
-
The Gein farmhouse was a dilapidated house of horrors.—
Elizabeth Yuko,
Rolling Stone,
8 Oct. 2025
-
The demolition of the former dilapidated Northridge Mall, which began last year, is finished.—
Hannah Kirby,
jsonline.com,
1 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Same premise as the exterior, but even more important: Don’t buy a car with a neglected interior.—
Jimmy Camp,
Oc Register,
4 Aug. 2025
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Close the Loop Following through on commitments is the simplest and yet shockingly most neglected way to earn long-term trust.—
Serenity Gibbons,
Forbes.com,
31 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Scrubby.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/scrubby. Accessed 19 Oct. 2025.
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