Shaggy: meaning, definitions and examples

Describes something with long, thick, and often messy fur or hair. Often used for animals but can be used for people in a non-derogatory manner.

• The dog's shaggy coat needed a good brushing.
• He had a shaggy beard that made him look rugged.

Refers to something covered in hair or fur. Can describe both people and animals, or even objects metaphorically.

• The hairy caterpillar crawled slowly across the leaf.
• He's a very hairy man; he has hair on his arms, chest, and back.

Describes hair or appearance that is messy, disheveled, and not well-groomed. Often used in a critical or negative sense.

• His unkempt hair and wrinkled clothes made him look disorganized.
• The garden was unkempt, with weeds growing everywhere.

Implies that hair or fur is tangled and stuck together, often in an unclean or neglected state. Has a negative connotation.

• The stray cat had matted fur, indicating it had been homeless for a while.
• Her hair was matted after swimming in the saltwater and not brushing it.