frumpier; frumpiest
a
: dressed in an unattractive way
He's a frumpy dresser.
That can't be Madonna playing a frumpy '30s-era missionary.—Peter Travers
b
of clothing
: not attractive : having an old, dull, unflattering, or untidy appearance
wore the same old frumpy sweater
… a dizzy mix of matronly frills, frumpy floral prints, and dotty dots …—Flare
Frumpy shoes—those which forsake all suggestiveness in favor of comfort and mobility—are back.—Misty White Sidell
Baggy pants, however, can add width and look frumpy.—Christina Frank
frumpily
adverb
frumpily dressed
frumpiness
noun
Their hats are stained with sweat … and their clothes have an agreeable air of frumpiness.
—Cathy Horyn
Cite this Entry
“Frumpy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/frumpy. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.
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