The neighborhood is full of dilapidated houses with scruffy backyards.
dressed in scruffy old clothes to clean out the garage
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Jessica’s ex-boyfriend, played by an impeccably scruffy and insufferable Michael Zegen, is a self-important Brooklyn music writer named Zev who has abandoned her for an influencer played by Emily Ratajkowski, also impeccable at being insufferable but in a more serene way.—Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 10 July 2025 His scruffy fur spread out around his face like a lion's mane.—Liz O'Connell, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 July 2025 How did a scruffy comedy about five of TV’s all-time-worst human beings last this long and do so well?—Alan Sepinwall, Rolling Stone, 22 June 2025 Both pups have one floppy ear and a scruffy coat that begs to be cuddled.—Kelli Bender, People.com, 20 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for scruffy
Word History
Etymology
scruff, metathetic variant of scurf (also with senses "something worthless or contemptible, contemptible person") + -y entry 1
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