Shoddy
"Shoddy" is a Southern-used but nationally known word meaning poorly made, cheap, or carelessly done. In Southern and Appalachian speech, it often carries a moral edge-implying the person didn’t take pride in the work.
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synonyms: cheap, poorly made, inferior, careless, slipshod, sorry
Hillbilly Dude Says...
Even though you don't call a person 'shoddy,' it's really about their work. They don't take pride in it, they don't care at all. So there's a disappointment in it. Hillbilly Dude Says...
Even though you don't call a person 'shoddy,' it's really about their work. They don't take pride in it, they don't care at all. So there's a disappointment in it. Pronunciation
[SHAH-dee]
/ˈʃɒ.di/ ~ /ˈʃɑ.di/
/ˈʃɒ.di/ ~ /ˈʃɑ.di/
Meaning & Usage
- Poor quality or workmanship (adjective)
Mae:
That’s a shoddy piece of work if I ever saw one.
That’s a shoddy piece of work if I ever saw one.
Earl:
Didn’t even sand it proper.
Didn’t even sand it proper.- Careless or dishonest behavior (adjective, figurative)
Mae:
He promised he’d fix it and didn’t-mighty shoddy of him.
He promised he’d fix it and didn’t-mighty shoddy of him.
Earl:
A man’s word oughta mean somethin’.
A man’s word oughta mean somethin’.variations: shoddily, shoddiness
★ In the South, calling something "shoddy" isn’t just about quality-it’s about character. You’re really saying, "They didn’t put their heart in it." ★
Origin and Etymology
The word "shoddy" first appeared in early-19th-century Britain for textile made from recycled wool. It reached the United States by the Civil War, when cheap army uniforms and supplies were condemned as "shoddy goods." Although not Southern-born, the term became deeply rooted in Southern and Appalachian speech, where it gained a moral undertone: anything done halfway, without pride or proper effort, could be called shoddy.
Usage Notes
- Nationwide English, but used in Southern and Appalachian speech with stronger emotional weight.
- Elsewhere, "shoddy" usually means low quality; regionally it also means lazy, careless, or not raised right.
- Reflects the regional link between craftsmanship and integrity-poor work suggests poor character.