# seedy

/ˈsidi/ (US) · /sˈiːdi/ (UK) · CEFR B2 · Adjective

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/seedy
Updated: 2026-05-20

## Definition

looking dirty, old, and run-down. You use this to describe a place that feels unsafe or a person who looks like they have no money.

For teachers: characterised by a lack of cleanliness, order, or respectability; often used to describe a person's appearance or a building's condition.

## Examples

- The old hotel looked seedy and run-down.
- He wore a seedy coat that smelled of smoke and old coffee, making him look like a man with no home.
- The once-grand theater had become a seedy venue for underground performances, its faded velvet curtains and peeling plaster hinting at a long decline in fortunes.

---

From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.