shoddy
Americanadjective
-
of poor quality or inferior workmanship.
a shoddy bookcase.
-
intentionally rude or inconsiderate; shabby.
shoddy behavior.
noun
-
a fibrous material obtained by shredding unfelted rags or waste.
-
anything inferior, especially a handmade item or manufactured product.
adjective
-
imitating something of better quality
-
of poor quality; trashy
-
made of shoddy material
noun
-
a yarn or fabric made from wool waste or clippings
-
anything of inferior quality that is designed to simulate superior quality
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of shoddy
First recorded in 1825–35; origin uncertain
Explanation
Shoddy refers to poor materials or quality. Maybe you passed on buying a house because it leaned in an odd way and various and sundry parts were falling off. Sounds like both the materials and workmanship were shoddy. Shoddy originally referred to something that looked high-quality but wasn’t. Later, a certain type of cloth made with leftover pieces and rags was called a shoddy. While shoddy often refers to materials or workmanship, questionable ethics can also be referred to as shoddy, as in the shoddy principles of a slumlord or the shoddy morals of someone who steals from their friends.
Vocabulary lists containing shoddy
Oh, No! Synonyms for "Bad"
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Pygmalion
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The Darkest Minds
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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.
But they angered him by withholding a final payment, instructing him to first complete his shoddy work to a higher standard.
From BBC • Apr. 24, 2026
Not having a prenup, or having a shoddy one, can be a recipe for financial disaster.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 23, 2026
From a market perspective, they help reveal shoddy management practices and even fraud.
From Barron's • Apr. 7, 2026
The island produces 40,000 barrels a day of low-quality crude, which is mostly used to power obsolete electricty plants that often fail because of shoddy maintenance.
From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 5, 2026
They simply did not tolerate any useless or shoddy stuff.
From "The Metamorphosis" by Franz Kafka
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.
