shoddy
Americanadjective
-
shoddier,
comparative
-
shoddiest
superlative
-
of poor quality or inferior workmanship.
a shoddy bookcase.
-
intentionally rude or inconsiderate; shabby.
shoddy behavior.
noun
-
shoddies
plural
-
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
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Adjectives
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
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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.
See Examples For:
A shoddy cable—one somebody bought online, picked up at the gas station or that came with some random cheap electronics—might be at fault.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 13, 2026
Jonathan Karl of ABC News did a segment where he touched the paint floating in the water, showing that the peeling appears to be the result of shoddy work.
From Salon ● Jun. 24, 2026
As workers scrambled to pump out murky water and dumped hydrogen peroxide into the pool, Trump took no responsibility for what many observers chalked up to shoddy workmanship.
From Barron's ● Jun. 21, 2026
The Angels’ shoddy defense exacerbated the scoring spree.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 7, 2026
He was constantly clashing with his superiors over what he saw as shoddy practices and corner-cutting, and sometimes broke company and union rules by doing work that he was contractually forbidden to do.
From "The Tipping Point" by Malcolm Gladwell
Dressing head-to-toe in ethical clothing can feel as impossible as a stuck zipper, especially now that legacy manufacturers like Eddie Bauer and Champion have sold their brand names to a shoddier conglomerate.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 21, 2026
Homeowners say the legal claims are the result of builders constructing shoddier, error-ridden homes.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 18, 2026
I’m with Rachel Cusk, who wrote: “I treat my books like I treat my shoes: The more I love them, the shoddier they become.”
From New York Times ● Jul. 18, 2022
But the makeshift home was shoddier than similar structures, and included a 100-foot tunnel with areas containing bedding, according to an affidavit filed by Sheriff Jerry Hogrefe of Taos County.
From Seattle Times ● Aug. 9, 2018
Many people who had gotten comprehensive Medicaid coverage would have to fall back on the shoddier individual insurance market described above.
From Washington Post ● Jun. 26, 2017
Not only does the San Joaquin have the shoddiest flood protection infrastructure, but it also faces the greatest degree of risk from climate-fueled storms.
From Salon ● Jan. 23, 2023
People who suggest violent games lead to real world violence, an assertion backed only by the shoddiest and most inconsistent evidence, are wrong even if their distaste for violent video games is perfectly fine.
From Forbes ● Jan. 18, 2015
In his shoddiest start of the season — which already includes several awful outings — Perez allowed seven runs and nine hits in three and a third innings.
From New York Times ● May 15, 2010
He responded to some of the Washington Post's revelations by charging "character assassination" and "the shoddiest kind of journalism."
From Time Magazine Archive
The shoddiest silent drama may contain noble views of the sea.
From The Art of the Moving Picture by Vachel Lindsay
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.
