as in dilapidated
showing signs of advanced wear and tear and neglect
an old dog-eared copy of a beloved book
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Recent Examples of dog-eared
My esteemed coworkers in Vulture’s book Slack, in fact, suggested that copies of The Secret of Secrets should come pre-wrinkled and dog-eared, with salt stains and sand in the pages.
—
Emily Heller, Vulture, 30 Jan. 2025
Sometimes they’ve been torn, smudged, folded or dog-eared.
—Elizabeth Weise, USA TODAY, 12 Jan. 2025
My copies of these books are now dog-eared to death and as appropriately stained as favorite kitchen tools.
—Lisa Donovan, New York Times, 8 Jan. 2025
Tampa Bay is still a very good team, even if a bit dog-eared around the edges of its elite personnel.
—Kevin Paul Dupont, BostonGlobe.com, 27 May 2023
Emily Heller, Vulture, 30 Jan. 2025
Sometimes they’ve been torn, smudged, folded or dog-eared.
—Elizabeth Weise, USA TODAY, 12 Jan. 2025
My copies of these books are now dog-eared to death and as appropriately stained as favorite kitchen tools.
—Lisa Donovan, New York Times, 8 Jan. 2025
Tampa Bay is still a very good team, even if a bit dog-eared around the edges of its elite personnel.
—Kevin Paul Dupont, BostonGlobe.com, 27 May 2023
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dog-eared
Adjective
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Forgetting Derry’s communal traumas is as much a part of the town’s firmament as the scenic canals, the nearby Air Force base where Charlotte’s hubby Leroy (Jovan Adepo) has been newly posted, and the dilapidated house at 29 Neibolt Street.—
Daniel Fienberg,
HollywoodReporter,
23 Oct. 2025
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The dilapidated wooden trim and sagging porticos were spruced up a few years ago after preservationists complained to the Landmarks Preservation Commission, but the upstairs windows reveal glimpses of peeling paint, crumbling plaster, and collapsing ceilings inside.—
Kim Velsey,
Curbed,
20 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Those plans were later abandoned during the pandemic and the house joined Denver’s neglected and derelict building list in 2024.—
Justin Wingerter,
Denver Post,
8 Oct. 2025
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Same premise as the exterior, but even more important: Don’t buy a car with a neglected interior.—
Jimmy Camp,
Oc Register,
4 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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By the end of the summer my catalogs were tattered and worn.—
Neil Sperry,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
17 Oct. 2025
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The archangel of trendy-casual walkaroundfits (new word, please spread around) just stepped out in hip-hugging bootcut jeans, a loose and intentionally tattered white T-shirt, a gold pendant necklace, and dark sunglasses, an easy all-American look for a morning on the go.—
Elizabeth Logan,
Glamour,
7 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Dog-eared.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dog-eared. Accessed 30 Oct. 2025.
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