shabby vs scruffy

[sharkerr]

What's the biggest difference between those two words and in what different context you would use them ?

 

[Rover_KE]

Look them up here. You'll find examples of their use in context.

 

[sharkerr]

so basically e.g. scruffy t-shirt is messy and dirty but shabby is old, worn-out. Is that true ?

What about houses ? Does the same rule apply ?

 

[emsr2d2]

So basically, [strike]e.g.[/strike] for example, a scruffy T-shirt is messy and dirty but a shabby T-shirt is old and worn-out. Is that [strike]true[/strike] correct?

What about houses? Does the same rule apply?

I'm not sure I would describe a T-shirt as scruffy or shabby. I might describe the person wearing that T-shirt as "looking scruffy" in it. However, you will hear "He's wearing really scruffy clothes!"

I would use scruffy for hair, general appearance etc. I would use shabby for furniture, décor, paintwork, general state of repair of a building.