Shoddy means poorly made or done carelessly, using cheap materials or weak effort. When something is shoddy, it looks okay at first glance but falls apart quickly or doesn't work right.

A shoddy bookshelf might wobble because the joints weren't glued properly, or the wood might be so thin it bends under the weight of books. Shoddy construction in a house means the builders cut corners: maybe they used inferior materials, skipped important steps, or rushed through their work. When you turn in shoddy homework, you've scribbled down answers without really thinking, leaving problems half-finished or making careless mistakes you could have caught by checking your work.

The word carries a sense of disappointment: shoddy work looks like it should be good enough, but it fails when you actually need it. A shoddy raincoat might seem fine in the store, but in a real storm, it leaks. Shoddy products and shoddy work both share the same problem: someone chose to take shortcuts instead of doing the job right.

The opposite of shoddy is sturdy, well-made, or carefully crafted. Quality work takes more time and attention, but it lasts. Shoddy work might be faster, but you end up having to do it again anyway.