Scraggly describes something that looks messy, uneven, or poorly groomed, like it hasn't been taken care of properly. A scraggly beard grows in patches with some hairs long and others short, rather than thick and neat. A scraggly plant in your garden might have thin, irregular stems and sparse leaves instead of looking healthy and full.

The word often describes hair, plants, or anything that grows: a scraggly lawn has brown patches and weeds, while a well-maintained lawn looks uniform and green. You might see scraggly bushes along an abandoned road, or notice that your neighbor's scraggly hedges need trimming.

When something looks scraggly, it gives an impression of neglect or wildness. A scraggly Christmas tree has gaps between its branches. A scraggly cat might have tangled, matted fur. The word captures that specific quality of looking unkempt and irregular, like something that should be fuller, neater, or more organized than it actually is.