ratty

adjective

rat·​ty ˈra-tē 

rattier; rattiest

1

a

: infested with rats

b

: of, relating to, or suggestive of a rat

2

: shabby, unkempt

… a ratty brown overcoat …

—John Lardner

3

a

: despicable, treacherous

b

: irritable

… feeling ratty as hell …

—Richard Bissell

Synonyms of ratty

• dilapidated
• neglected

Examples of ratty in a Sentence

Those shoes are getting pretty ratty.

some ratty old magazines were the only reading material in the mountaintop cabin

Recent Examples on the Web

Thompson’s Anna Andrews initially appears as a frantic figure in a ratty hoodie, chugging wine from the bottle and rustling around an Atlanta apartment that is in an alarming state of disarray. —Judy Berman, Time, 8 Jan. 2026

Sure, Angie did say it, but the phrase was about, and wouldn’t exist without, Britani and her ratty updo. —Tom Smyth, Vulture, 31 Dec. 2025

The five rattiest cities in 2025, according to Orkin 1. —Rashad Alexander, Kansas City Star, 18 Dec. 2025

Players will take the foursome from performing to ratty bars to selling out stadiums and being on the equivalent of the world’s MTV. —Gieson Cacho, Mercury News, 11 Dec. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1865, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Rhymes for ratty

• batty
• catty
• chatty
• fatty
• natty
• pattie
• patty
• tatty

Kids Definition

ratty

adjective

rat·​ty ˈrat-ē 

rattier; rattiest

1

a

: full of rats

ratty dockside warehouses

b

: of or relating to rats

2

: shabby sense 2a

a ratty old sweater