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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
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
-
Zaragoza stationed his men on the high ground, hidden behind cacti, behind walls of dilapidated forts, in ditches.—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
4 May 2026
-
Longtime Oak Lawn Village Board member Timothy Desmond has resigned from his post to enter into a contract with the village through his home building company to restore dilapidated properties, with the goal of putting them back on the tax rolls.—
Olivia Stevens,
Chicago Tribune,
28 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
The sweater now has a deep V-neck with stylishly tattered edges, which Andy pairs with a button-down shirt and jeans.—
Patrick Ryan,
USA Today,
3 May 2026
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For Chicago, the shocking crimes are noteworthy contributors to its tattered national reputation — fair or not — for being unsafe and for criminal-justice policies perceived as being concerned more with the rights of those accused than the interests of those victimized.—
The Editorial Board,
Chicago Tribune,
28 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
What are the symptoms of irritable bowel disease?—
Lindy Segal,
PEOPLE,
24 Apr. 2026
-
Perhaps through feeling more irritable, more anxious, or wanting to isolate.—
Joy Harden Bradford,
AJC.com,
2 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
And getting all giddy over some lame light beer that has apple juice poured into to is just plain embarrassing.—
Zach Dean OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
24 Apr. 2026
-
This idea that just sitting with your face buried in your phone when you’re supposed to be in a social setting—that’s lame, right?—
Charlie Warzel,
The Atlantic,
24 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Cinematographer Guillermo Garza shoots neglected settings like fine art, embracing the grime.—
Amy Nicholson,
Los Angeles Times,
3 Apr. 2026
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An El Segundo father says that he was arrested in early March for taking matters into his own hands by installing stop signs and repainting a neglected and dangerous intersection.—
Jasmine Viel,
CBS News,
25 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Few have gotten more out of three ragged chords than Diamond did in his first Top 10 single.—
Mikael Wood,
Los Angeles Times,
6 May 2026
-
By 1900, the Irish-speaking areas were a ragged patchwork of smallish standalone zones, clinging to the island’s western and southern shores.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
4 May 2026
Adjective
-
Cars were exciting, efficient, and relatively cheap.—
Oren Peleg,
New Yorker,
9 May 2026
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Its aggressive marketing strategy persuades users to buy a vast range of items at cheaper prices.—
Alexander Onukwue,
semafor.com,
8 May 2026
Adjective
-
Jenner opted to wear a pair of faded yellow jeans, a Guizio white tank top and a belly chain.—
Gabrielle Rockson,
PEOPLE,
22 Apr. 2026
-
For the second time in a week, the Dodgers made a minor-league acquisition of a faded pitching prospect with impressive velocity but poor control.—
Bill Plunkett,
Oc Register,
18 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Ratty.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ratty. Accessed 13 May. 2026.
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