Spiffy
What it means
Neat, smart, and attractively fresh in appearance.
Reach for it when offering lighthearted approval of a person, object, or place that has been tidied or improved
The old kiosk looked spiffy after a coat of green paint.
Words to choose between 5
| playful |
|
|---|---|
| everyday | |
| professional | |
| literary |
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playful
Fits when bold fashionable flair should be noticed
Careful Snazzy is flashier and less centered on tidy freshness.
-
playful
spruced-up
Fits when visible improvement after cleaning or decorating matters
Careful Spruced-up implies a recent change rather than an enduring style.
-
everyday
Fits when neat stylish appearance is the ordinary compliment
Careful Smart can be misread as intelligent and lacks spiffy's cheer.
-
professional
Fits when careful finish and presentation are evident
Careful Polished sounds more serious and may imply practiced social manner.
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literary
Fits when a neatly dressed person has lively polish
Careful Dapper is traditionally masculine and more old-fashioned.
Opposites 3
- shabby
- scruffy
- dowdy
Common phrases 3
-
look spiffy
The repaired chairs look spiffy in their new blue fabric.
-
spiffy outfit
His spiffy outfit included a neatly pressed linen jacket.
-
spiffy new
A spiffy new sign now marks the workshop entrance.
Usage notes
Keep in mind
Spiffy is breezy and slightly old-fashioned; it suits friendly praise better than formal evaluation.
Definitions and examples are written for this site. How words are chosen Recording: Wodencafe, American accent, from Wikimedia Commons, CC0 Updated