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Definitions

scrappy

[skrap-ee] / ˈskræp i /
ADJECTIVE
belligerent
Synonyms
STRONGEST
aggressive combative fierce ornery
WEAK
antagonistic ardent at loggerheads battling bellicose cantankerous contentious fighting flip have a bone to pick have chip on shoulder have it in for hostile hot hot-tempered mean militant on the outs pugnacious quarrelsome truculent warlike
Antonyms
STRONGEST
calm peaceful
ADJECTIVE
argumentative
Synonyms
STRONGEST
combative
WEAK
belligerent contentious contrary controversial disputatious eristic factious fire-eating having a chip on one's shoulder litigious opinionated polemic polemical pugnacious quarrelsome salty spiky touchy

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.

And in a culture so hellbent on idol worship and exhausting discourse, where every blemish is smoothed out or screamed at, “SNL” still offers us something scrappy and unvarnished.

From Salon • Apr. 19, 2026

Apple has come a long way from its days as a scrappy underdog in the personal-computing world.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 31, 2026

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 • Mar. 22, 2026

The Scot clinched three scrappy frames before making breaks of 75 and 67 to win the contest 5-0.

From BBC • Feb. 27, 2026

Scruffy, of course, was the scrappy, funny one with the New York accent.

From "Dog Squad" by Chris Grabenstein