Definition

Adjective: - Having an irregular, uneven, or unkempt appearance; appearing ragged, thin, or untidy. It often describes something that grows or exists in a straggly, sparse, or disordered way.

Usage and Examples

The adjective scraggly is used to describe the messy, uneven, or sparse physical quality of something.

• The scraggly weeds along the fence line were difficult to pull.
• After weeks on the trail, the hiker's beard was long and scraggly.
• A few scraggly trees managed to survive on the rocky hillside.
• The kitten had a scraggly coat when we first rescued it.

Advanced Usage

Scraggly can be used in a figurative sense to describe something that is meager, underdeveloped, or lacking in vigor or fullness.

• The team's scraggly defense was no match for the league's top offense.
• He made a scraggly attempt at an apology, which no one found sincere.

Variants and Related Words

• Scraggy (adjective): Very similar in meaning to scraggly, describing something as lean, bony, or ragged. (e.g., ).
• Scrag (noun, informal): Can refer to a thin or scrawny person or animal, or a ragged end or fragment.

Synonyms

• Ragged
• Straggly
• Unkempt
• Shaggy
• Sparse
• Scrawny (when referring to thinness)

Antonyms

• Neat
• Tidy
• Trim
• Luxuriant
• Full
• Orderly

Adjective

1. lacking neatness or order
   • the old man's scraggly beard
   • a scraggly little path to the door