scrappy
1 Americanadjective
adjective
-
inclined to fight, argue, or compete; aggressive: Having to defend itself against a giant corporation gave the new company a reputation as a scrappy contender.
Badgers are such scrappy fighters that coyotes will team up with them out of fear of being eaten by them.
Having to defend itself against a giant corporation gave the new company a reputation as a scrappy contender.
-
having or showing spirit and determination, especially in spite of obstacles.
This era formed dozens of legends—strong-willed, scrappy survivors whose faith in their cause was unshakable.
adjective
adjective
Other Word Forms
- scrappily adverb
- scrappiness noun
Etymology
Origin of scrappy1
First recorded in 1830–40; scrap 1 + -y 1
Origin of scrappy2
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Apple has come a long way from its days as a scrappy underdog in the personal-computing world.
From MarketWatch
For decades, the island was celebrated by U.S. critics worldwide as a scrappy symbol of anti-imperialism and a utopic experiment in socialism.
From Los Angeles Times
If England had picked up two or three more wins in slightly scrappy fashion, the numbers would look a lot healthier.
From BBC
"We now have a reference point that allows us to accurately identify more scrappy finds and map out evolutionary transitions in anatomy and body size."
From Science Daily
“We have a tremendous amount of opportunity to be more efficient, to be scrappier,” Schulman said in an earnings call shortly after being named CEO.
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
