scraggly
Học thuậtThân thiện
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
- lacking neatness or order
- the old man's scraggly beard
- a scraggly little path to the door