seedy

IPA/ˈsiːdi/
KK[sˈidi]IPA/ˈsiːdi/

seedy — adjective

  • seedypositive
  • seediercomparative
  • seediestsuperlative

1. Describes a place, area, or person whose poor, dirty, and worn-out appearance su

1.形容詞B2
釋義

Describes a place, area, or person whose poor, dirty, and worn-out appearance suggests a connection with crime or other bad activities.

例句

The backstreets of the old port were full of seedy hotels and cheap bars.

collocation: seedy + place nouns (backstreets, hotels, bars)

Aoi warned her brother to stay away from the seedy nightclubs near the train station.

同義詞
  • shabby

    focuses only on physical wear and tear, without the implication of dishonesty or illegal activity

  • run-down

    describes physical deterioration but is morally neutral

  • sleazy

    stronger disapproval, especially connected with low-class entertainment or the sex trade

  • disreputable

    emphasises a bad reputation rather than the physical condition

反義詞
  • respectable

    well-regarded and proper, the opposite of morally questionable

  • clean

    physically clean and free from any sense of dishonesty

用法筆記

Most often used for places (bars, hotels, streets, districts) rather than people. When applied to a person, it suggests they look disreputable or are involved in shady activities.

常見錯誤

❌The sofa was old and seedy.
✅The sofa was old and shabby.
💡'seedy' sounds odd for furniture because it carries a moral or suspicious quality that does not apply to an object like a sofa.

2. Containing a large number of small seeds within the flesh — used when talking ab

2.形容詞B1
釋義

Containing a large number of small seeds within the flesh — used when talking about fruits, vegetables, and certain plants.

例句

Lakshmi prefers seedless watermelons because seedy ones are too much trouble to eat.

comparative pattern: seedless versus seedy

The seedy pomegranate took nearly fifteen minutes just to pick out all the seeds.

同義詞
反義詞
  • seedless

    containing no seeds — commonly used for marketed fruit varieties

用法筆記

Most commonly used with fruits that have many small, noticeable seeds — such as watermelons, pomegranates, figs, and berries. Not used for fruits with a single large stone or pit (like peaches or avocados).

常見錯誤

❌I bit into a seedy apple.
✅I bit into an apple with a few seeds in the core.
💡'seedy' is not used for fruits where seeds are few and hidden; it implies seeds are numerous and encountered while eating.

3. Feeling a little sick, weak, or not quite in good health — an informal and somew

3.形容詞C1
釋義

Feeling a little sick, weak, or not quite in good health — an informal and somewhat old-fashioned way to describe how you feel physically.

例句

After the long flight, Sahil felt seedy and just wanted to lie down.

informal pattern: feel + seedy

Benjamin woke up with a seedy feeling and knew he was coming down with something.

同義詞
  • unwell

    neutral and more formal; appropriate for any register

  • under the weather

    informal but still much more common than 'seedy' in modern English

  • groggy

    specifically suggests weakness and dizziness rather than general sickness

反義詞
  • well

    in good health — the general opposite of feeling ill

  • healthy

    in a state of good physical condition

用法筆記

This sense is informal and somewhat dated. More common in British English than American English. Almost always used with 'feel' or 'look' to describe a temporary physical state.

常見錯誤

❌The patient felt seedy after the operation.
✅The patient felt unwell after the operation.
💡'seedy' for illness is too informal for medical or serious contexts; use 'unwell' or 'ill' instead.