Meaning & use
grubbily
Last updated
Meanings
adverbnot comparablerare
In a dirty, untidy or shabby way.
Grammar: Modifies a verb or adjective: grubbily dressed.
Patterns
- grubbily dressed
The children sat grubbily on the step.
He was grubbily dressed after a day of digging.
The room was grubbily lit by one bulb.
adverbnot comparablefigurativeliterary
In a mean or unpleasant way that is morally low.
Grammar: Figurative, usually about dishonest behavior.
Patterns
- grubbily behaving
He grubbily demanded a share of the money.
They grubbily squabbled over the will.
The article grubbily exploited the tragedy.
Common combinations
- grubbily dressed
- He was grubbily dressed.
- grubbily dirty
- The hands were grubbily dirty.
- grubbily lit
- The alley was grubbily lit.
- grubbily furnished
- The flat was grubbily furnished.
Synonyms and how they differ
- dirtily
- Dirtily is plainer and covers more serious dirt.
- shabbily
- Shabbily emphasizes worn clothing or poor condition.
- scruffily
- Scruffily suggests untidiness more than dirt.
Opposites
Word family
Commonly confused: grubbily or grudgingly?
grubbily vs grudgingly
Grudgingly means unwillingly; grubbily means in a dirty way.
Practice
After a day on the farm, the boy was ___ dressed.
Choose one answer.
Grubbily means in a dirty way. Grudgingly means reluctantly, so it fails here.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “grubbily”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.