crappy

American  

[krap-ee] / ˈkræp i /

adjective

Slang: Sometimes Vulgar.

crappier, crappiest

1. extremely bad, unpleasant, or inferior; lousy.

   crappy weather.

2. nasty, humiliating, insulting, or unfair.

   What a crappy thing to say about anyone!

3. cheaply made or done; shoddy.

   a crappy job.

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Usage

What does crappy mean? Crappy means lousy, unpleasant, nasty, inferior, or poorly made. Crappy is a slang word. It is the adjective form of the noun crap. Because the literal meaning of crap is excrement (poop), it is sometimes considered vulgar. Though crappy rarely refers to excrement, it is still sometimes considered a mild form of profanity (a mild curse word). Crappy is always used negatively to describe unpleasant things (like a bad day) or things that don’t meet expectations or are considered inferior (like a poorly made product).

Other Word Forms

• crappiness
  noun

Etymology

Origin of crappy

An Americanism dating back to 1840–50; crap ¹ + -y ¹

Example Sentences

Ben Sasse: Because I was crappy enough at sports that they had let me play and I couldn’t play for the University of Nebraska.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 7, 2026

Those avocado green appliances, Formica countertops, and linoleum floors were just as crappy as they appear in those sitcom reruns.

From Barron's • Mar. 14, 2026

Like, look at my crappy decorations compared to this woman who is not Martha Stewart but she could be.

From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 6, 2025

Maybe this Reddit user said it best: “Cool Whip is a lot like whipped cream, only more crappy and processed. Ngl, it tastes pretty good.”

From Salon • Jul. 5, 2025

I should keep them all, crappy or not, because it’s a record of my improvement, and all good sketchbooks have bad sketches.

From "Red Flags and Butterflies" by Sheryl Azzam