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
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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
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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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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of ragged
Alissa Simon, Variety, 16 Feb. 2025
Helena reached the microlight, adjusted her ponytail, and then climbed into the back seat, as the birds flew in ragged circles nearby.
—Nick Paumgarten, The New Yorker, 10 Feb. 2025
The ragged metallic roaring scream of a Boeing 727 ascending eastward, a high-pitched whine building to a thundering roar, fading to a drone.
—Miami Herald Archives, Miami Herald, 8 Jan. 2025
The car screamed a ragged series of explosive pops.
—Rachel Kushner, Harper's Magazine, 2 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for ragged
Adjective
Is there something about the needy Anja and her ragged child that the barren Isabell responds to?
—Alissa Simon, Variety, 16 Feb. 2025
Helena reached the microlight, adjusted her ponytail, and then climbed into the back seat, as the birds flew in ragged circles nearby.
—Nick Paumgarten, The New Yorker, 10 Feb. 2025
The ragged metallic roaring scream of a Boeing 727 ascending eastward, a high-pitched whine building to a thundering roar, fading to a drone.
—Miami Herald Archives, Miami Herald, 8 Jan. 2025
The car screamed a ragged series of explosive pops.
—Rachel Kushner, Harper's Magazine, 2 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for ragged
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ragged
Adjective
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Boulders offer a jagged look For a rugged look, consider a retaining wall made from large boulders.—
Katherine McLaughlin,
Architectural Digest,
18 Apr. 2025
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All those letters are real, and all those jagged lines were the work of scissors.—
Brian Truitt,
USA Today,
11 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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The other traditional party, the Liberal Party, has splintered between those who remain loyal to Zelaya and those who led the coup, including Mauricio Villeda, the presidential candidate who leads a tattered vestige of his party.—
Dana Frank,
Foreign Affairs,
22 Nov. 2013
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What if standing up to Trump is the very thing that saves the Liberal Party, and Trudeau’s tattered legacy?—
Talib Visram,
TIME,
7 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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The two men had worked together for years, selling everything from colon cleanses to get-rich-quick advice, before pivoting to crypto with uneven results.—
Eric Lipton,
New York Times,
29 Apr. 2025
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An even newer device, an electronic screener or balance board, measures foot movements as the patient tries to balance themselves on an uneven surface with their eyes open, and then closed.—
Frederick Melo,
Twin Cities,
27 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Offering a 23% concentration of pure vitamin C, this formula delivers some serious brightening benefits, resulting in a more even-looking complexion and faded hyperpigmentation.—
Denise Primbet,
Glamour,
28 Apr. 2025
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Everything below that will be flooded, according to IPCC predictions, so his maps show those areas as underwater, with what’s land today shown as a faded layer.—
Carlton Reid,
Forbes.com,
22 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Premiering April 20 on Nat Geo and streaming April 21 on Disney+ and Hulu, the three-part series is a visual triumph made possible by engineering grit, field science, and the kind of rugged tech innovation typically reserved for space exploration.—
Tony Bradley,
Forbes.com,
20 Apr. 2025
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Unveiled at the Osaka-Kansai Expo 2025, this futuristic machine is built to handle rugged terrain with ease, combining cutting-edge robotics and sustainable energy.—
Fox News Staff,
FOXNews.com,
19 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Oz has had 30 (homers) and 100 (RBIs) before and can have some rough patches and still has a way of coming out of it.—
David O'Brien,
New York Times,
28 Apr. 2025
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Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Kevin Gausman had a rough outing against the New York Yankees on Sunday in the first game of a doubleheader.—
Ryan Gaydos,
FOXNews.com,
28 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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There is a broken down vehicle on the George Brett Super Highway between exit 8A and I-435 South.—
Kansas City Star Bot,
Kansas City Star,
27 Apr. 2025
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Using accessible platforms such as 311, public school parents and community members should be able to report broken buzzers and defective security equipment in schools to ensure administrators can quickly address defects and replace them.—
Savanah Jackson,
New York Daily News,
27 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Some of Mangione's supporters have left messages of praise for him, while others have criticized the fundraising efforts.—
Hannah Parry,
Newsweek,
24 Dec. 2024
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Bo French, the chairman of the Tarrant County, Texas, GOP, criticized Chief of Naval Operations Admiral Lisa Franchetti, alleging that an emphasis on DEI programs had undermined the military's effectiveness.—
Josh Hammer,
Newsweek,
24 Dec. 2024
Cite this Entry
“Ragged.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ragged. Accessed 3 May. 2025.
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