How to pronounce shabby
Say it like SHAB-ee. Shabby has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (SHAB).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce shabby. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- SHAB
- ee
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Shabby pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- SHABSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "a" in cat.
- eeKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "ee" in see.
American vs British pronunciation of shabby
American and British speakers say shabby in essentially the same way: /ˈʃæbi/ in the US and /ˈʃæbi/ in the UK.
British respelling: SHAB-ee.
What does shabby mean?
- Of clothing, a place, etc.: unkempt and worn or otherwise in poor condition due to age or neglect; scruffy.“They lived in a tiny apartment, with some old, shabby furniture.”
- Of a person: wearing ragged or very worn, and often dirty, clothing.“The fellow arrived looking rather shabby after journeying so far.”
- Of a person, their behavior, etc.: despicable, mean; also, not generous; stingy, tight-fisted.“shabby treatment”
- To make (something) shabby (adjective sense 1); to shabbify.
- To become shabby; to shabbify.
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Words that rhyme with shabby
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of shabby.
Questions about saying shabby
How do you pronounce shabby?
Say SHAB-ee. The American pronunciation is /ˈʃæbi/. In British English it is /ˈʃæbi/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in shabby?
Shabby has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (SHAB). Broken into parts: SHAB · ee.
Do Americans and Brits say shabby the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ˈʃæbi/ and the British form is /ˈʃæbi/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.