tattered

adjective

tat·​tered ˈta-tərd How to pronounce tattered (audio)
1
: torn into shreds : ragged
a tattered flag
2
a
: broken down : dilapidated
decaying houses along tattered paved streetsP. B. Martin
b
: being in a shattered condition
led their tattered party to victory
3
: wearing ragged clothes
a tattered barefoot boy

Examples of tattered in a Sentence

a pile of old tattered books arrived at the shelter tattered and exhausted
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
On a visit to another small Ok. town, Cox spied a tattered awning that said Country Bird, which was the perfect name for her bakery. Gary Stern, Forbes.com, 1 July 2025 Living under a tattered flag of St. George, the people here have reconstructed some semblance of society by relying on traditional tasks and traditional attitudes. Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 18 June 2025 Set in the year 3333 on a desolate alien world, players take on the role of the Swordsman, a somewhat blank slate character with minimalist features clad in a tattered cloak. Christopher Cruz, Rolling Stone, 24 June 2025 And then, in close-up, a bulldozer turns over rubble, and a family photograph is glimpsed in the debris, a tattered symbol of what has been lost. Catherine Bray, Variety, 25 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for tattered

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 3

Time Traveler
The first known use of tattered was in the 14th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Tattered.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tattered. Accessed 13 Jul. 2025.

Kids Definition

tattered

adjective
tat·​tered ˈtat-ərd How to pronounce tattered (audio)
1
: wearing ragged clothes
a tattered barefoot child
2
: torn in shreds : ragged
a tattered flag

More from Merriam-Webster on tattered

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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