Antonyms for dowdiness

Grammar : Noun

Spell : dou-dee

Phonetic Transcription : ˈdaʊ di

Definition of dowdiness

Origin : 1580s (n.), "an aukward, ill-dressed, inelegant woman" [Johnson]; 1670s (adj.), perhaps a diminutive of doue "poorly dressed woman" (early 14c.), of uncertain origin. The modern use of dowd (n.) is most likely a back-formation from dowdy. "If plaine or homely, wee saie she is a doudie or a slut" [Barnabe Riche, "Riche his Farewell to Militarie profession," 1581].
You don't have to be dowdy to be a Christian. [Tammy Faye Bakker, "Newsweek," June 8, 1987]
Related: Dowdily; dowdiness.

As in vulgarity : noun crassness
As in drabness : noun dullness

Example sentences :

"And then she will shake off her dowdiness and her gloom together," said Mrs Mackenzie.
Extract from : « Miss Mackenzie » by Anthony Trollope

Miss Drummond is not so bad, after all, is she, in spite of her dowdiness and fussy ways?
Extract from : « Not Like Other Girls » by Rosa N. Carey

Try to be as neat as the very dowdiest girl you know, without the dowdiness.
Extract from : « The Boy with Wings » by Berta Ruck

There was none of the occasional shabbiness or dowdiness of Michigan Avenue.
Extract from : « Fanny Herself » by Edna Ferber

One knows that it doesn't mean much; but it's like artificial flowers,—it gives a little colour, and takes off the dowdiness.
Extract from : « Can You Forgive Her? » by Anthony Trollope

After all, the American women were chic, she decided, although some of the doctors had wives of a dowdiness—Himmel!
Extract from : « The Street of Seven Stars » by Mary Roberts Rinehart

She was neat where Anna had been disorderly, well dressed and breezy against Anna's dowdiness and sharpness.
Extract from : « The Street of Seven Stars » by Mary Roberts Rinehart

Anyhow they totally failed to support the charge of dowdiness which had been freely brought against the Queen-Mother's rgime.
Extract from : « Punch or the London Charivari, Vol. 148, January 27, 1915 » by Various

But one thing was certain—there wasn't the p. 149 remotest suggestion of dowdiness about a Beldon.
Extract from : « Legacy » by James H Schmitz

Synonyms for dowdiness

Based on : Thesaurus.com - Gutenberg.org - Dictionary.com - Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019