scribbly

American  

[skrib-lee] / ˈskrɪb li /

adjective

1. written or drawn in a hasty, careless, or messy way, or looking as if written or drawn in such a way.

   None of us can make out this scribbly note he left—can you?

   I really like the scribbly style of her comic strips.

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Etymology

Origin of scribbly

First recorded in 1655–65; scribbl(e) ¹ ( def. ) + -y ¹ ( def. )

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

scribbly

So do scribbly, charming drawings of a cat and studies of feet that emphasize grotesqueness.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 12, 2026

There are plenty of initials and scribbly hearts, sure, but also a lock with Batman’s insignia and at least a dozen locks marked “MYTH” with a label maker.

From Seattle Times ● Jun. 8, 2022

Unlike the scribbly, energetic line in the original book illustrations by French artist Yoran Cazac, Roberts’ collaged images bring sturdy heft to the agile young man.

From Los Angeles Times ● May 11, 2022

Flowers’s loose, expressive line is a little messy, a little scribbly, with both cursive and all-caps text floating through the images.

From New York Times ● Aug. 29, 2019

I guessed that the crude, scribbly letters had probably been written by a little boy.

From "Where the Red Fern Grows" by Wilson Rawls