From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishscruffyscruf‧fy /ˈskrʌfi/ adjective UNTIDYdirty and untidy a scruffy old pair of jeans scruffy shops —scruffily adverb a scruffily dressed man —scruffiness noun [uncountable]
Examples from the Corpus
scruffy• It looks best worn casual and scruffy, but everyone seems intent on continually dressing it up.• I still don't feel it's necessary to wear scruffy clothes to be an actor.• A scruffy cyclist who used the Dixons credit cards was never found.• While Mr Clarke revels in his scruffy image, Mr Portillo is a dapper dresser.• My parents think I look scruffy in these jeans, but I like them.• Their conversation stops abruptly when a scruffy man approaches the cash register, pulls out a gun and demands all the money.• She's wearing that scruffy old sweater again.• Old silver heels have been abandoned under a work table in favor of scruffy penny loafers.• a scruffy sweatshirtOrigin scruffy (1800-1900) scruff “messy person” ((19-21 centuries)), from scurf; → SCURVY 