crumby
Definition
- Adjective:
- Covered with crumbs: "Crumby" describes something that is full of or covered with small fragments of bread, cake, or other baked goods.
- Inferior or shabby: In informal usage, "crumby" can mean of poor quality, cheap, or contemptible; it is a variant of "crummy."
Usage Examples
Covered with crumbs:
- The tablecloth was crumby after the children ate their toast. (The tablecloth had many breadcrumbs on it.)
- She brushed the crumby surface of the sofa before sitting down. (She removed the small food particles from the sofa.)
Inferior or shabby:
- We stayed in a crumby hotel with no hot water. (The hotel was of poor quality and uncomfortable.)
- He gave a crumby excuse for being late. (His excuse was weak and unsatisfactory.)
Advanced Usage
- "Crumby" as a literal descriptor: Used specifically to refer to physical debris from food.
- The kitchen floor was crumby after the party. (The floor was littered with crumbs.)
- "Crumby" as a figurative insult: Often interchangeable with "crummy" to express disappointment or low value.
- That was a crumby performance by the team. (The performance was disappointing and poorly executed.)
Variants and Related Words
- Crummy (adj): an alternative spelling of "crumby" when meaning inferior or shabby; more common in modern informal English.
- I felt crummy after eating too much. (I felt unwell or of low quality.)
- Crumb (n): a small fragment of bread, cake, or biscuit.
- There was a single crumb on the plate. (A tiny piece of food.)
Synonyms
- Covered with crumbs: crumb-covered, littered, messy.
- Inferior or shabby: cheap, shoddy, poor, lousy, wretched.
Related Idioms
- "A crumby job": a low-paying or menial task.
- He took a crumby job at the factory just to pay the bills. (He accepted a poorly paid, unskilled position.)
- "Feel crumby": to feel unwell or in low spirits.
- After the long flight, I felt crumby and exhausted. (I felt physically and emotionally depleted.)