Meaning & use

mangy

adjective·Academic

Affected by mange, or, more generally, looking scruffy, unkempt, and in poor condition.

See it in a sentence

A mangy dog with patchy fur wandered along the side of the road.

The old, mangy sofa had been left out for the trash collectors.

A note on using this word

"Mangy" literally describes an animal with mange, a skin disease, but is often used figuratively for anything shabby.

Words with a similar meaning

scruffyshabby

Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.

Words with an opposite meaning

sleekwell-groomed

Make it your own

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