tattered

adjective

tat·​tered ˈta-tərd 

1

: torn into shreds : ragged

a tattered flag

2

a

: broken down : dilapidated

… decaying houses along tattered paved streets.

—P. B. Martin

b

: being in a shattered condition

led their tattered party to victory

3

: wearing ragged clothes

a tattered barefoot boy

Synonyms of tattered

• ragged

Examples of tattered in a Sentence

a pile of old tattered books

arrived at the shelter tattered and exhausted

Recent Examples on the Web

The women stood on the doorsteps with their rumps to the crowd, skirts lifted to flash tattered green knickers. —Literary Hub, 13 Mar. 2026

Our boot laces were broken and knotted, our tattered and ice-caked pants flapped around our legs, and at night our wet clothing froze stiff. —Elwyn "bud" Myers, Outdoor Life, 11 Mar. 2026

Elsewhere, Jenna Ortega’s tattered Christian Cowan slip dress featured a thigh-high slit that would make Jolie proud. —Hannah Jackson, Vogue, 2 Mar. 2026

The green cornice crowning the roofline had begun to fade, while layers of black paint and tattered posters peeled from the building’s exterior. —Jessica Alvarado Gamez, Denver Post, 1 Mar. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 3

Rhymes for tattered

• backscattered
• battered
• chattered
• clattered
• flattered
• mattered
• pattered
• scattered
• shattered
• spattered
• splattered

Kids Definition

tattered

adjective

tat·​tered ˈtat-ərd 

1

: wearing ragged clothes

a tattered barefoot child

2

: torn in shreds : ragged

a tattered flag