1
as in dilapidated
showing signs of advanced wear and tear and neglect
some ratty old magazines were the only reading material in the mountaintop cabin
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in tattered
worn or torn into or as if into rags
can I use this ratty old T-shirt to wipe up some paint?
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in irritable
easily irritated or annoyed
I get pretty ratty after hours of dealing with demanding customers
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4
as in lame
arousing or deserving of one's loathing and disgust
that's a ratty way to treat an old friend who's fallen on hard times
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of ratty
Take ratty old towels to the animal shelter and offer kitchen supplies to the homeless shelter.
—
Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 14 Jan. 2026
Thompson’s Anna Andrews initially appears as a frantic figure in a ratty hoodie, chugging wine from the bottle and rustling around an Atlanta apartment that is in an alarming state of disarray.
—Judy Berman, Time, 8 Jan. 2026
Sure, Angie did say it, but the phrase was about, and wouldn’t exist without, Britani and her ratty updo.
—Tom Smyth, Vulture, 31 Dec. 2025
Although advertised for both full sun and partial shade, false heather becomes old and ratty-looking after only a few years of overly sunny exposure.
—Joshua Siskin, Oc Register, 8 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for ratty
Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 14 Jan. 2026
Thompson’s Anna Andrews initially appears as a frantic figure in a ratty hoodie, chugging wine from the bottle and rustling around an Atlanta apartment that is in an alarming state of disarray.
—Judy Berman, Time, 8 Jan. 2026
Sure, Angie did say it, but the phrase was about, and wouldn’t exist without, Britani and her ratty updo.
—Tom Smyth, Vulture, 31 Dec. 2025
Although advertised for both full sun and partial shade, false heather becomes old and ratty-looking after only a few years of overly sunny exposure.
—Joshua Siskin, Oc Register, 8 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for ratty
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ratty
Adjective
-
Its dilapidated state and lack of funding — just $25,000 was budgeted for programming by the city last year — prevents the facility from offering a full slate of services for residents.—
Gayla Cawley,
Boston Herald,
14 Apr. 2026
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The decedent lived in a dilapidated house, but in a respectable neighborhood, and I was therefore deluged with credit card offers addressed to the late debtor, a long-time devoted heroin addict.—
George Liebmann,
Baltimore Sun,
11 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Many wore tattered flip-flops or shoes that offered little protection.—
CNN Money,
CNN Money,
15 Apr. 2026
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This fresh take on the tattered monster is startlingly personal for Cronin, with some of the movie’s nastiest images and ideas rooted in his real grief.—
Alison Foreman,
IndieWire,
14 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Perhaps through feeling more irritable, more anxious, or wanting to isolate.—
Joy Harden Bradford,
AJC.com,
2 Apr. 2026
-
Had my symptoms maybe been put down to irritable bowel, for example, that could’ve been ongoing and ongoing and ongoing for a much longer period of time.—
Gina Kalsi,
PEOPLE,
2 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Unlike most lame-duck governors, California’s Gavin Newsom seems ascendant.—
Philip Elliott,
Time,
15 Apr. 2026
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There wasn’t much the voters could do with a menu so lame.—
Rob Sheffield,
Rolling Stone,
15 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
When first performed at L.A. Opera a decade ago, the lavish production, co-produced with English National Opera, helped recover a neglected opera.—
Classical Music Critic,
Los Angeles Times,
6 Mar. 2026
-
His refusal to weaponize suffering is one of his most important — and most neglected— lessons.—
Ed Gaskin,
Boston Herald,
15 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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Her association with Nuyorican bandleader and timbalero Tito Puente provided the perfect transition from the honeyed sheen of La Matancera to the ragged, visceral feel of Seventies salsa.—
Ernesto Lechner,
Rolling Stone,
15 Apr. 2026
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Sharp mower blades also create cleaner cuts, which helps grass retain moisture instead of losing it through ragged blade tips.—
Lauren Jarvis-Gibson,
Miami Herald,
14 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Solar energy is still one of the cheapest forms of energy, and energy is in higher demand than ever, partly due to artificial intelligence data center construction.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
17 Apr. 2026
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This new method uses iron, one of the most abundant and cheapest elements on Earth.—
Mrigakshi Dixit,
Interesting Engineering,
17 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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If your current set is thin, faded or fraying, spring cleaning is the perfect excuse to replace them.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
13 Apr. 2026
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Deadheading faded blooms encourages new flowerheads.—
Peg Aloi,
The Spruce,
12 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Ratty.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ratty. Accessed 21 Apr. 2026.
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