crappy

USAGE SUMMARY

The word 'crappy' is correct and usable in written English.
It is often used to describe something or someone that is of poor quality or unsatisfactory in some way. Example sentence: That movie was pretty crappy.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

This will be the decade of workers on wages so low they are priced out of the lifestyle they once thought was safely theirs; of tenants struggling with soaring rents and crappy landlords; of severely disabled people kept awake by the prospect of their benefits being cut, while others on jobseeker's allowance jump though hoop after hoop to avoid being sanctioned.

The Guardian - Opinion

As today's Herald Sun reports, the government has now reached the most severe stage of political crisis: the "tabloid paper does crappy Photoshop" stage.

The Guardian - Opinion

If you're planning to be a crappy boyfriend this summer, best to wait till Taylor's left the site.

The Guardian - Music

Injury, when you can't run … and some days are just off – it's never fun if you've had a good run and then the next day you're just feeling crappy.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

My lifestyle is quite crappy.

The Guardian

"It's a crappy old thing".

The Guardian

If people move to Texas—such critics murmur it's because they are happy with crappy.Americans don't move to crappy places, retorts Mr Perry.

The Economist

And home prices in the metro area were down 3.5% in September compared with the previous year not good, but a small drop compared with many areas".It's crappy," admits Tony Crumbley, the head of research for the chamber of commerce.

The Economist

Apple has been working with Sharp of Japan to devise a thinner and lower-power version of the Retina display for the iPad 3. Fingers crossed, Apple will also replace the iPad's crappy cameras and finally give the tablet the 4G cellular radios it deserves.

The Economist

It is a crappy denouement for several reasons.

The Economist

A few races in Alpine skiing, biathlon, and snowboard were postponed or rescheduled because of heavy fog or slushy, springlike snow, and some outdoor competitors publicly complained about the "crappy" conditions, especially on the snowboard halfpipe.

Encyclopedia Britannica

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "crappy" in informal contexts where a blunt, negative assessment is appropriate. Be mindful of your audience, as it can be seen as vulgar.

Common error

Avoid using "crappy" in professional documents or academic papers. Opt for more neutral terms like "substandard" or "of poor quality" to maintain a formal tone.

Linguistic Context

The word "crappy" functions as an adjective. It's used to describe something as being of very poor quality or as unpleasant. As Ludwig AI indicates, it's a common way to express dissatisfaction or disapproval.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

60%

Encyclopedias

10%

Independent

10%

Less common in

The New Yorker

10%

The Economist

5%

OtherRelated

5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "crappy" is an adjective used to describe something as being of poor quality or generally unpleasant. Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness. While its frequency is high, particularly in news and media sources, it's essential to consider the context. It is highly informal and should be replaced by words like "substandard" or "inferior" in formal writing. Always consider your audience when using the word "crappy".

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

of poor quality

A more formal and general way to express that something isn't good.

lacking quality

Directly points out the absence of good qualities.

substandard

Implies something fails to meet a required level of quality.

inferior

Suggests something is lower in rank, status, or quality.

deficient

Focuses on the lack of something essential or necessary.

second-rate

Suggests something is not the best in its category.

not up to par

Indicates something is below the expected or required standard.

awful

A general term expressing something is very unpleasant.

terrible

Indicates something is extremely bad or serious.

dreadful

Similar to terrible but can also mean causing great fear or suffering.

FAQs

How can I use "crappy" in a sentence?

You can use "crappy" to describe something of poor quality, like: "This is such a "crappy car"". It can also describe a feeling: "I'm feeling "crappy" today".

What's a less vulgar synonym for "crappy"?

If you want to avoid being too blunt, try words like "poor quality", "substandard", or "inferior". These are suitable for most situations.

Is it okay to use "crappy" in professional emails?

It's generally best to avoid "crappy" in professional emails as it's considered informal and could be seen as unprofessional. Use alternatives like "unsatisfactory" or "deficient" instead.

Which is correct, "crappy" or "crappie"?

"Crappy" describes something of poor quality. "Crappie", on the other hand, is a type of freshwater fish. They have completely different meanings and should not be confused.