1
as in jagged
having an uneven edge or outline
the Rocky Mountains cut an angular, ragged profile against the sky, in contrast to the rounded silhouette of the rolling, green Adirondack Mountains
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in tattered
worn or torn into or as if into rags
finally convinced her to throw away her favorite pair of jeans, ragged from years of yard work
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in uneven
not having a level or smooth surface
she cut herself on the ragged edge of the tin can's lid
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4
as in raggedy
wearing torn or worn-out clothes
ragged and hungry refugees emerging from the jungle where they had been in hiding for weeks
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in scolded
to criticize (someone) severely or angrily especially for personal failings
several readers called in to rag the editor for his paper's repeated grammatical lapses
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of ragged
Lee Wallender, The Spruce, 4 Feb. 2026
At 836,000 square miles, Greenland is nearly 80 percent ice, a frozen leaf dangling in the far North Atlantic with dramatic, ragged edges, impossibly sheer cliffs that dwarf even El Capitan, and a massive ice sheet as thick as 11,000 feet.
—Tim Neville, Outside, 23 Jan. 2026
Dan Sheldon, New York Times, 11 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for ragged
Adjective
Also consider that monstera is sometimes called swiss cheese plant, with leaves that develop ragged holes over time.
—Lee Wallender, The Spruce, 4 Feb. 2026
At 836,000 square miles, Greenland is nearly 80 percent ice, a frozen leaf dangling in the far North Atlantic with dramatic, ragged edges, impossibly sheer cliffs that dwarf even El Capitan, and a massive ice sheet as thick as 11,000 feet.
—Tim Neville, Outside, 23 Jan. 2026
Verb
On that night in March, to the surprise of nobody, Arsenal ran their mid-table Premier League hosts ragged, beating them 5-1, with Henry and Freddie Ljungberg scoring twice, and Kolo Toure netting the other.
—Dan Sheldon, New York Times, 11 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for ragged
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ragged
Adjective
-
These geckos live around karst rock formations — terrain shaped by limestone dissolution into caves, crevices and jagged outcrops.—
Ryan Brennan,
Charlotte Observer,
25 Feb. 2026
-
From Buffalo Grove, the district goes northwest on a jagged path through Mundelein, Fox Lake and into McHenry County.—
Steve Sadin,
Chicago Tribune,
23 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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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
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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
Adjective
-
Walking on uneven terrain … requires the smaller stabilizing muscles in your ankles to become more active to maintain a neutral position and balance.—
Ryleigh Nucilli,
Outside,
26 Feb. 2026
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If the area is still uneven after a couple of weeks, repeat the process, but apply only about 1/2 inch of leveling mix at a time until the ground is level.—
Mary Marlowe Leverette,
Southern Living,
26 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
In Zambrano’s case, Gee scolded the government over how the detention unfolded.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
24 Feb. 2026
-
He is being groomed, playing, testing boundaries and even being scolded which are all part of normal social learning for young macaques.—
Jasmine Baehr,
FOXNews.com,
17 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Groom indoor plants to remove yellowing leaves and faded blooms.—
Tom MacCubbin,
The Orlando Sentinel,
28 Feb. 2026
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Before the third siren at seven o’clock Chitol parked his bicycle alongside hundreds of others like it, his identified by a faded yellow piece of his wife’s old sari around the handlebars, which doubled as a duster.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
19 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Late Thursday night the Taliban’s military launched attacks on Pakistani positions along some sections of their porous and disputed border that wends 1,600 miles through rugged mountains and desert.—
Sophia Saifi,
CNN Money,
27 Feb. 2026
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However, the rugged uninhabited island feels like a world away, with its white sand beaches, turquoise waters, and its reptilian residents.—
Madeline Weinfield,
Travel + Leisure,
26 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Vance’s speech got a cool reception from European leaders who said they felt lectured.—
Jared Gans,
The Hill,
18 Feb. 2026
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Some of us have guest lectured in his law school class on the Arkansas Constitution, and his passion for our state's rich heritage is evident.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
16 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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Chong would give them a rough idea of his thoughts, which the artists would then use to develop dialogue and other details that expanded on his vision.—
Samantha Masunaga,
Los Angeles Times,
4 Mar. 2026
-
All that human saliva and mucus, absorbed and dried into a rough crust.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
4 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Ragged.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ragged. Accessed 5 Mar. 2026.
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