shrubby

adjective

shrub·​by ˈshrə-bē How to pronounce shrubby (audio)
especially Southern ˈsrə-
shrubbier; shrubbiest
1
: consisting of or covered with shrubs
2
: resembling a shrub

Examples of shrubby in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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Many residents in the rugged, shrubby hills have spent years preparing for such a fire. — Hannah Fry, Los Angeles Times, 20 Oct. 2026 That blaze tragically caused the deaths of almost the entire Granite Mountain Interagency Hotshot team when flames accelerated through dry, dense, shrubby terrain and overtook 19 elite firefighters. — Joan Meiners, AZCentral.com, 27 Aug. 2026 Other more persistent perennial or shrubby drought-tolerant plants include beach sunflower, sunshine mimosa, gaillardia and firebush. — Tom MacCubbin, The Orlando Sentinel, 18 July 2026 The 2017 Open Championship, which Spieth won despite — perhaps because of — a 22-minute ordeal of confusion, patience and a whole lot of running up and down a steep hill of thick, shrubby dune grass. — Brody Miller, New York Times, 14 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for shrubby

Word History

First Known Use

1540, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of shrubby was in 1540

Rhymes for shrubby

See All Rhymes for shrubby

Browse Nearby Words

shrubbiness
shrubby
shrubby althaea
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Shrubby.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/shrubby. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

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Kids Definition

shrubby

adjective
shrub·​by ˈshrəb-ē How to pronounce shrubby (audio)
shrubbier; shrubbiest
1
: consisting of or covered with shrubs
a shrubby hillside
2
: resembling a shrub
a shrubby palm
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