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
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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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of ratty
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
Elordi's version of the mad scientist's monster boasts pale skin covered in scars, an alarming absence of eyebrows, and ratty dark hair extending past his shoulders.
—Wesley Stenzel, Entertainment Weekly, 25 Oct. 2025
Meanwhile, ratty bangs — like enemies of perfection — are poised to be a top hair trend this fall.
—Kaleigh Werner, Footwear News, 23 Sep. 2025
DiCaprio, 50, subverts his Hollywood leading man image by wearing a ratty red robe, unkempt hair and oversized sunglasses as former revolutionary and current stoner Bob Ferguson, who is forced back into action to save himself and his daughter (Chase Infiniti) from paramilitary enforcers.
—Bryan Alexander, USA Today, 23 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for ratty
Joshua Siskin, Oc Register, 8 Nov. 2025
Elordi's version of the mad scientist's monster boasts pale skin covered in scars, an alarming absence of eyebrows, and ratty dark hair extending past his shoulders.
—Wesley Stenzel, Entertainment Weekly, 25 Oct. 2025
Meanwhile, ratty bangs — like enemies of perfection — are poised to be a top hair trend this fall.
—Kaleigh Werner, Footwear News, 23 Sep. 2025
DiCaprio, 50, subverts his Hollywood leading man image by wearing a ratty red robe, unkempt hair and oversized sunglasses as former revolutionary and current stoner Bob Ferguson, who is forced back into action to save himself and his daughter (Chase Infiniti) from paramilitary enforcers.
—Bryan Alexander, USA Today, 23 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for ratty
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ratty
Adjective
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In this way, abandoned and often dilapidated homes are saved and renovated rather than being left to further deteriorate or be torn down.—
Eric Adler
December 22,
Kansas City Star,
22 Dec. 2025
-
To find her, Luis becomes embedded with an outlaw band of ravers, who cross the Moroccan desert in huge, dilapidated trucks.—
Damon Wise,
Deadline,
16 Dec. 2025
Adjective
-
Nearly every panel of the shoe is tattered and torn, including a heel seam that’s coming undone and reveals the inner cork components of the shoe.—
Riley Jones,
Footwear News,
30 Oct. 2025
-
By the end of the summer my catalogs were tattered and worn.—
Neil Sperry,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
17 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Some of the consequences of owing your body sleep are readily apparent, like feeling drowsy, irritable, or brain-foggy, or catching seemingly every virus.—
Erica Sloan,
SELF,
6 Jan. 2026
-
Accompanying Rayner through these daily adventures were the irritable duck Chelveston (named after his English bomber base) and the gentle dog puppet Cuddly Dudley.—
Michael Peregrine,
Chicago Tribune,
2 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
The flowers are the best, even if the leaves are lame and flop over.—
Joshua Siskin,
Oc Register,
25 Oct. 2025
-
Cut to Culhane doing lame bits with chopsticks as walrus teeth.—
Gil Kaufman,
Billboard,
24 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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The narrative highlights the growing, unseen populations of lonely and neglected individuals, shedding light on a vital but often ignored aspect of public care.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
9 Dec. 2025
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Over six years, Papp and Archie fostered 120 dogs and cats, and the owner said Archie was a major reason some of the most neglected and frightened animals went on to live full and happy lives.—
Rachael O'Connor,
MSNBC Newsweek,
12 Nov. 2025
Adjective
-
My breath is nervous and ragged but my will determined.—
Vanita Salisbury,
AFAR Media,
6 Nov. 2025
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The result is a ragged primal scream of a film — not a cry for help, but rather, a bellow of maternal rage.—
Katie Walsh,
Boston Herald,
6 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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Researchers at Shanghai Jiao Tong University in China have designed a new sodium-sulfur battery with higher power density and discharge capacity than before, enabling a cheaper, safer alternative to lithium-ion batteries.—
Ameya Paleja,
Interesting Engineering,
9 Jan. 2026
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Fentanyl is cheap, compact, and lethal at microscopic doses, produced through decentralized networks designed to survive disruption.—
Morgan Chalfant,
semafor.com,
9 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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Characterized by their faded or worn-out effect, as if their original color had been lightened by washing, these beloved jeans stand out for their vintage and carefree air.—
Mayte Salido,
Glamour,
4 Jan. 2026
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The styling trick works even with an outfit that leans as grunge as this, with ballooning black cargo pants, a muted flannel, and a faded black tee.—
Alyssa Rotunno,
InStyle,
30 Dec. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Ratty.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ratty. Accessed 11 Jan. 2026.
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