crappy

IPA/ˈkræpi/
KK[krˈæpˌi]IPA/ˈkræpi/

crappy — adjective

  • crappypositive
  • crappiercomparative
  • crappiestsuperlative

1. used in rude informal English to say that something is poor, disappointing, or u

1.adjectiveB1
Definition

used in rude informal English to say that something is poor, disappointing, or unpleasant.

Example

Apinya bought a crappy lamp that stopped working after two days.

attributive: crappy + product noun

The hostel served a crappy breakfast with cold toast and weak coffee.

attributive: crappy + meal noun

Common collocations
  • crappy job
  • crappy weather
  • crappy service
  • crappy phone
  • crappy road
  • crappy breakfast
Synonyms
  • lousy

    informal and close in meaning, but slightly less coarse

  • awful

    more general and less slangy; common in both neutral and informal speech

  • shitty

    even ruder and more offensive in tone

Antonyms
  • decent

    opposite when something is acceptable or good enough

  • excellent

    opposite when something is very high in quality

Grammar Patterns

crappy + noun

be crappy

Usage Note

Rude and informal. Common before everyday nouns like job, weather, service, or phone, and also after 'be' when someone gives a direct negative judgment.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/1

Crappy is a strongly informal way to say that something is bad, disappointing, or unpleasant. Lousy is close in meaning and also casual, but it usually sounds a little less rude. Awful is broader and less slangy, so it fits more situations, including ones where crappy would sound too rough. Shitty is even more offensive than crappy and should be used more carefully. If your phone camera is poor and your cheap hotel breakfast tastes bad, crappy sounds natural. If you need a safer everyday choice, awful or lousy is usually easier to say in public.

lousy ↗awful ↗crappy ↗shitty

Common collocations

Adverbs

Etymology

English

Crappy is a modern English slang adjective formed from the noun crap with the adjective ending -y. Because the base word is rude, crappy keeps the same rough informal tone. It came to mean 'very bad' or 'poor in quality' from the broader slang use of crap for something worthless or unpleasant.

First known use

1928

1928, in the meaning defined above