Slovenly
adjective
Careless, messy and not neat.
His slovenly appearance made a bad impression.
Often appears as...
- slovenly appearance
- slovenly work
Usage tips
Disapproving
adverb
In an untidy or careless manner.
He dressed slovenly and didn't care about his appearance.
Often appears as...
- dressed slovenly
- live slovenly
Usage tips
Disapproving
adjective
Careless, messy and not neat.
His slovenly appearance made a bad impression.
Often appears as...
- slovenly appearance
- slovenly work
Usage tips
Disapproving
adverb
In an untidy or careless manner.
He dressed slovenly and didn't care about his appearance.
Often appears as...
- dressed slovenly
- live slovenly
Usage tips
Disapproving
Definition 1 of 2
Pro Tip 1/3Negative Connotation
Slovenly implies a lack of care or effort, suggesting a negative opinion about someone’s habits or work.
The slovenly way he maintained his room left his roommate frustrated.
Pro Tip 2/3Not Just Physical
While often physical, slovenly can also describe someone's attitude toward responsibilities.
Her slovenly disregard for the project deadlines upset the whole team.
Pro Tip 3/3Informal Setting
Use slovenly in casual conversations or creative writing, rather than formal communication.
He joked about his slovenly lifestyle during the stand-up comedy show.
Pro Tip 1/3Negative Connotation
Slovenly implies a lack of care or effort, suggesting a negative opinion about someone’s habits or work.
The slovenly way he maintained his room left his roommate frustrated.
Pro Tip 2/3Not Just Physical
While often physical, slovenly can also describe someone's attitude toward responsibilities.
Her slovenly disregard for the project deadlines upset the whole team.
Pro Tip 3/3Informal Setting
Use slovenly in casual conversations or creative writing, rather than formal communication.
He joked about his slovenly lifestyle during the stand-up comedy show.
Pro Tip 1/3Negative Connotation
Slovenly implies a lack of care or effort, suggesting a negative opinion about someone’s habits or work.
The slovenly way he maintained his room left his roommate frustrated.
Pro Tip 2/3Not Just Physical
While often physical, slovenly can also describe someone's attitude toward responsibilities.
Her slovenly disregard for the project deadlines upset the whole team.
Pro Tip 3/3Informal Setting
Use slovenly in casual conversations or creative writing, rather than formal communication.
He joked about his slovenly lifestyle during the stand-up comedy show.
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Quote examples
Fred Melamed
American Actor
Most of the time when I receive a script, it says something like 'Rosenberg is the fat, slovenly Mayor, who doesn't want the kids to use the Skateboard Park', or 'Stein is a pompous, rotund attorney, imposing to all.' It would be so freeing to get a script where my character is simply described as 'A Man.
Quote examples
Paul Muldoon
English Poet
Poetry is as vital as ever. The teaching of poetry reading, however, is sluggish and, often, slovenly. It needs to be expanded in the school curriculum and be more a feature of society at large. The newspapers should all be carrying a daily poem. It should be as natural as reading a novel.
Quote examples
Elvis Mitchell
American Critic
Pootie Tang' may be raw and slovenly - hey, it often is raw and slovenly - but it succeeds as a laugh getter because of the spot-on satirical notes. You might say that the movie walks it like it talks it; I'm not sure what Pootie would say.
Quote examples
Maya Angelou
American Poet
Easy reading is damn hard writing. But if it's right, it's easy. It's the other way round, too. If it's slovenly written, then it's hard to read. It doesn't give the reader what the careful writer can give the reader.
Quote examples
Jen Sincero
American Author
One of the biggest obstacles to making lots of money is not a lack of good ideas or opportunities or time, or that we're too slovenly or stupid: it's that we refuse to give ourselves permission to become rich.
Quote examples
Joshua Jackson
American Actor
Most people call my style of dress slovenly, I call it extreme casual. If I didn't have a mother and a sister for the times I do have to get dressed, I would be absolutely lost.
Quote examples
Pat Barker
English Writer
When I'm writing the first draft, I'm writing in a very slovenly way: anything to get the outline of the story on paper.
Quote examples
William Wycherley
English Dramatist
Come, for my part I will have only those glorious, manly pleasures of being very drunk, and very slovenly.
Quote examples
Dolores O'Riordan
Irish Musician
For me, you can't be a big fat pig up there, slovenly and singing croaky and whatnot. You have to work.
Quote examples
Jane Austen
British Writer
An artist cannot do anything slovenly.
Quote examples
Fred Melamed
American Actor
Most of the time when I receive a script, it says something like 'Rosenberg is the fat, slovenly Mayor, who doesn't want the kids to use the Skateboard Park', or 'Stein is a pompous, rotund attorney, imposing to all.' It would be so freeing to get a script where my character is simply described as 'A Man.
Quote examples
Paul Muldoon
English Poet
Poetry is as vital as ever. The teaching of poetry reading, however, is sluggish and, often, slovenly. It needs to be expanded in the school curriculum and be more a feature of society at large. The newspapers should all be carrying a daily poem. It should be as natural as reading a novel.
Quote examples
Elvis Mitchell
American Critic
Pootie Tang' may be raw and slovenly - hey, it often is raw and slovenly - but it succeeds as a laugh getter because of the spot-on satirical notes. You might say that the movie walks it like it talks it; I'm not sure what Pootie would say.
Quote examples
Maya Angelou
American Poet
Easy reading is damn hard writing. But if it's right, it's easy. It's the other way round, too. If it's slovenly written, then it's hard to read. It doesn't give the reader what the careful writer can give the reader.
Quote examples
Jen Sincero
American Author
One of the biggest obstacles to making lots of money is not a lack of good ideas or opportunities or time, or that we're too slovenly or stupid: it's that we refuse to give ourselves permission to become rich.
Quote examples
Joshua Jackson
American Actor
Most people call my style of dress slovenly, I call it extreme casual. If I didn't have a mother and a sister for the times I do have to get dressed, I would be absolutely lost.
Quote examples
Pat Barker
English Writer
When I'm writing the first draft, I'm writing in a very slovenly way: anything to get the outline of the story on paper.
Quote examples
William Wycherley
English Dramatist
Come, for my part I will have only those glorious, manly pleasures of being very drunk, and very slovenly.
Quote examples
Dolores O'Riordan
Irish Musician
For me, you can't be a big fat pig up there, slovenly and singing croaky and whatnot. You have to work.
Quote examples
Jane Austen
British Writer
An artist cannot do anything slovenly.
Example 1 of 10
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