dingy
Americanadjective
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of a dark, dull, or dirty color or aspect; lacking brightness or freshness.
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shabby; dismal.
adjective
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lacking light or brightness; drab
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dirty; discoloured
Other Word Forms
- dingily adverb
- dinginess noun
Etymology
Origin of dingy
First recorded in 1730–40; origin uncertain
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Seeing my opportunity, I stripped off my own shirt, grabbed a handful of ash, and scrubbed at my face and arms, turning myself the same dingy color as the men in front of me.
From Literature
Kate struggled on, living with her sons a few blocks from Central Park in a dingy apartment.
From Literature
He was barefoot and filthy, his bright orange hair dingy from dirt and grease.
From Literature
Then, after seeing the run-down buildings and strip malls in Somewhere, I expected a dingy motel, like a place where long-haul truckers would stay.
From Literature
We drive until all I can see is gray asphalt and dingy buildings.
From Literature
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
