shoddy

1 of 2

noun

shod·​dy ˈshä-dē How to pronounce shoddy (audio)
1
a
: a reclaimed wool from materials that are not felted that is of better quality and longer staple than mungo
b
: a fabric often of inferior quality manufactured wholly or partly from reclaimed wool
2
a
: inferior, imitative, or pretentious articles or matter
b
: pretentious vulgarity

shoddy

2 of 2

adjective

shoddier; shoddiest
1
: made wholly or partly of shoddy
2
a
: cheaply imitative : vulgarly pretentious
shoddy merchandise
b
: hastily or poorly done : inferior
shoddy workmanship
c
: shabby, disreputable
shoddy business deals
shoddily adverb
shoddiness noun

Examples of shoddy in a Sentence

Adjective They gave a shoddy performance. shoddy merchandise that soon fell to pieces
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
Recycled pop bottles are made into carpets and seat linings, and cotton shoddy—used to make blue jeans—is recycled and turned into sound insulation. Katherine Lagrave, Condé Nast Traveler, 20 July 2018 Only traditional organic feeds such as the shoddy are allowed Craig Ballinger, Slate Magazine, 20 Mar. 2017
Adjective
But the Sharks skaters did not do much to help him, as turnovers and perhaps some shoddy backchecking and play in front of their net contributed to the lopsided loss. Curtis Pashelka, The Mercury News, 8 Mar. 2024 Having looked upon the shoddy handiwork of the Colorado Supreme Court and the Maine secretary of state, the Court balked at letting state courts enforce Section 3. The Editors, National Review, 5 Mar. 2024 The majority of the complaints and lawsuits against Florida PACE providers reviewed by the Herald concern shoddy construction work or alleged fraud from contractors. Alex Harris, Miami Herald, 4 Mar. 2024 If investors are constantly tricked into diverting capital towards ineffective companies, and customers are routinely deceived into buying shoddy products, the whole economic engine breaks down. J.j. Colao, Fortune, 19 Dec. 2023 There was a time when buying budget earbuds meant thin sound, poor battery life and shoddy build quality, but not anymore. Mark Sparrow, Forbes, 27 Feb. 2024 There’s another reason driving the surge in sales of shoddy, or counterfeit, gifts: the explosion of resale sites like TheRealReal or Vinted. Mark Ellwood, Robb Report, 21 Feb. 2024 The animation’s shoddy, the jokes are hacky, and the lessons are nonexistent. Vulture, 2 Feb. 2024 Fanatics countersued, accusing Panini of fraud, shoddy production and poor customer service. Ken Belson, New York Times, 26 Jan. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'shoddy.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun

origin unknown

First Known Use

Noun

1832, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Adjective

1847, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of shoddy was in 1832

Dictionary Entries Near shoddy

Cite this Entry

“Shoddy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/shoddy. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

shoddy

adjective
shod·​dy
ˈshäd-ē
shoddier; shoddiest
: poorly done or made
shoddy construction
shoddy furniture
shoddily
ˈshäd-ᵊl-ē
adverb
shoddiness
ˈshäd-ē-nəs
noun

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