haggard

1 of 2

adjective

hag·​gard ˈha-gərd How to pronounce haggard (audio)
1
of a hawk : not tamed
2
a
: wild in appearance
b
: having a worn or emaciated appearance : gaunt
haggard faces looked up sadly from out of the strawW. M. Thackeray
haggardly adverb
haggardness noun

haggard

2 of 2

noun

1
: an adult hawk caught wild
2
obsolete : an intractable person

Examples of haggard in a Sentence

Adjective She looked tired and haggard. We were shocked by his haggard appearance.
Recent Examples on the Web
Adjective
Moore goes for broke as Elisabeth rapidly ages, flawlessly executing a sequence during which the haggard former star mocks one of Sue's television interviews. Maureen Lee Lenker, EW.com, 7 Sep. 2024 In other parts of the movie, where the substance is having side effects that force Elizabeth to become haggard and prematurely elderly, Moore was forced to contort herself in punishing ways. Brent Lang, Variety, 7 Sep. 2024 Much of the film features Willow listening in on tense conversations between the haggard adults in her life from behind closed doors or within the shadows. Vikram Murthi, IndieWire, 26 July 2024 To me, baby-proofing is about figuring out how to have a gorgeous space that doesn't look haggard after a couple of years. Ariel Okin, Vogue, 23 Feb. 2024 See all Example Sentences for haggard 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'haggard.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Adjective and Noun

Middle French hagard

First Known Use

Adjective

circa 1566, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

1567, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of haggard was circa 1566

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Dictionary Entries Near haggard

Cite this Entry

“Haggard.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/haggard. Accessed 14 Oct. 2024.

Kids Definition

haggard

adjective
hag·​gard
ˈhag-ərd
: very thin especially from great hunger, worry, or pain

Biographical Definition

Haggard

biographical name

Hag·​gard ˈha-gərd How to pronounce Haggard (audio)
Sir (Henry) Rider 1856–1925 English novelist

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