as in to tear
to cause (something) to separate into jagged pieces by violently pulling at it
the little boy tattered that blanket beyond repair by repeatedly yanking on it
Synonyms & Similar Words
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as in shred
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of tatter
Chandler Rome, The Athletic, 15 July 2024
San Francisco is in a struggle to redefine itself after the pandemic left it in economic tatters and highlighted its longstanding problems with homelessness, drugs and property crime.
—Janie Har, San Diego Union-Tribune, 5 Feb. 2024
Hanna Flanagan, PEOPLE.com, 3 Dec. 2019
This store, along with other Starbucks locations throughout the city, would fall prey to similar assaults during the day, leaving dozens of storefronts defaced and tattered.
—Grady McGregor, Fortune, 2 Oct. 2019
See All Example Sentences for tatter
Verb
Their pitching staff then turned to tatters, heightening the importance of an offense that must mask it.
Including Tucker, seven of Houston’s qualified hitters finished the first half with an OPS+ of 100 or higher.
—Chandler Rome, The Athletic, 15 July 2024
San Francisco is in a struggle to redefine itself after the pandemic left it in economic tatters and highlighted its longstanding problems with homelessness, drugs and property crime.
—Janie Har, San Diego Union-Tribune, 5 Feb. 2024
Noun
So where did Ransome’s tattered cozy knit end up after filming wrapped?
—Hanna Flanagan, PEOPLE.com, 3 Dec. 2019
This store, along with other Starbucks locations throughout the city, would fall prey to similar assaults during the day, leaving dozens of storefronts defaced and tattered.
—Grady McGregor, Fortune, 2 Oct. 2019
See All Example Sentences for tatter
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tatter
Verb
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Governor Phil Murphy responded Thursday night to a deadly line of severe thunderstorms that tore through Central New Jersey, killing three people and leaving tens of thousands without power.—
Amanda Castro,
MSNBC Newsweek,
4 July 2025
-
Star Tyrese Haliburton tears his Achilles in Game 7 of the Finals, and then the team lost center Myles Turner to the rival Bucks — in part because the Pacers didn’t want to pay up for their longest tenured player. Taking something of a gap year kind of makes sense for Indiana.—
Andrew Greif,
NBC news,
3 July 2025
Noun
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Athletes and coaches are loath to admit even a shred of positive in any defeat, let alone in the immediate aftermath, but if ever the moral victory existed, can’t Inter Miami claim some of that even after a 4-0 defeat?—
Greg Cote,
Miami Herald,
29 June 2025
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Still, in a shred of good news, other figures showed that businesses are still investing, despite the persistent uncertainty over Trump’s on-again, off-again tariffs and the potential impact of his massive tax and spending bill currently being reviewed by the US Senate.—
Bryan Mena,
CNN Money,
26 June 2025
Verb
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Meanwhile, boats all along the southwest shore were being swamped or ripped from their moorings and piling up on rocks or beaches, often crashing into other vessels.—
George Skelton,
Los Angeles Times,
30 June 2025
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And, Roman says, a vital support system was ripped away: public services.—
Meg Anderson,
NPR,
30 June 2025
Noun
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The ash contains tiny fragments that can damage lung tissue and cause respiratory illnesses, like silicosis.—
Monica Cull,
Discover Magazine,
26 June 2025
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Microplastics are polymer fragments that can range from less than 0.2 inch (5 millimeters) down to 1/25,000th of an inch (1 micrometer).—
Sandee LaMotte,
CNN Money,
24 June 2025
Noun
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Carved into chalk more than 1,600 years ago, the vaulted caverns at Taittinger stretch nearly 60 feet underground, their walls layered with remnants of Roman quarries, medieval crypts and Benedictine abbey foundations.—
Rachel King,
Forbes.com,
28 June 2025
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Start by thoroughly clearing leftover debris, including wood chips and stump remnants, to prevent pest problems and prep for landscaping.—
Karen Brewer Grossman,
Southern Living,
27 June 2025
Noun
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If some of the plans to tax billionaires more that have been proposed recently were in effect, his tax bill for last year would have likely more than tripled but would still be a small fraction of his net worth.—
Phoebe Liu,
Forbes.com,
28 June 2025
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The consolidation of wealth amongst a miniscule fraction of the Earth’s population continues, contributing to the conditions for the global rise of facism.—
Kayti Burt,
Time,
27 June 2025
Noun
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Kimmel said the country has an oversupply domestically of scrap metal, if U.S. companies cannot export.—
Susan Tompor,
Freep.com,
3 July 2025
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That technical change increases the likelihood that a congregation of a tumbledown church might raise the money to unlock more housing and at the same time fix up their building — without simply selling it for scrap.—
Justin Davidson,
Curbed,
27 June 2025
Noun
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Mazzoli created a lush score that was alternately sweeping or intimate, sensuous or mystical, yet with a distinctive sound that was her own weaving a thread through the piece.—
Janelle Gelfand,
Cincinnati.com,
19 July 2017
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This is why the war stories of Tom Clancy are such convincing and moving pieces of fiction.—
Janine Barchas,
Washington Post,
18 July 2017
Cite this Entry
“Tatter.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tatter. Accessed 12 Jul. 2025.
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