as in to tear
to cause (something) to separate into jagged pieces by violently pulling at it
the little boy tattered that blanket beyond repair by repeatedly yanking on it
Synonyms & Similar Words
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as in shred
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of tatter
Nathan Taylor Pemberton, New York Times, 20 Jan. 2020
So where did Ransom’s tattered cozy knit end up after filming wrapped?
—Ale Russian, PEOPLE.com, 26 Dec. 2019
Kevin Barry, Harper's Magazine, 2 July 2024
Smith’s office is now consigned to assess the tatters in which the court’s ruling has left its prosecution and determine, like a homeowner after a tornado has touched down, what can be salvaged.
—Ruth Marcus, Washington Post, 1 July 2024
See All Example Sentences for tatter
Verb
Coming down that highway, one’s arrival was confirmed by a row of flag poles holding international flags, tattered and generally ignored.
—Nathan Taylor Pemberton, New York Times, 20 Jan. 2020
So where did Ransom’s tattered cozy knit end up after filming wrapped?
—Ale Russian, PEOPLE.com, 26 Dec. 2019
Noun
Rourke himself approached the street at this hour in suave array and manic tatters.
—Kevin Barry, Harper's Magazine, 2 July 2024
Smith’s office is now consigned to assess the tatters in which the court’s ruling has left its prosecution and determine, like a homeowner after a tornado has touched down, what can be salvaged.
—Ruth Marcus, Washington Post, 1 July 2024
See All Example Sentences for tatter
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tatter
Verb
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There was laughter, nervous laughter, lots of nervous laughter, and also tears.—
Roberto Prieto,
Variety,
19 May 2026
-
They were killed when a Russian missile tore through their Kyiv apartment building on May 14, burying them under rubble.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
19 May 2026
Noun
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The perpetrators of these crimes are savage animals without a shred of humanity.—
Bobby Zirkin,
Baltimore Sun,
14 May 2026
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That's patently false and not supported by a shred of evidence.—
Dan Zaksheske OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
13 May 2026
Verb
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Videos captured a rioter ripping a mask off Hodges as he was pinned against a door during a fight for control of a tunnel entrance.—
Michael Kunzelman,
Los Angeles Times,
20 May 2026
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Numbers like that savagely rip at the time-space continuum in ways piston-engine cars simply cannot.—
Mark Ewing,
Forbes.com,
20 May 2026
Noun
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Straus Family Creamery is voluntarily recalling a variety of organic ice cream flavors and sizes sold in 17 states because of concerns there may be metal fragments in the frozen treats, the Food and Drug Administration said Friday.—
Kerry Breen,
CBS News,
16 May 2026
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Vaccines present either defanged pathogens or distinctive fragments of them to specialized immune cells—namely, T cells and antibody-producing B cells—that can then learn to identify those microbial enemies.—
Beth Mole,
ArsTechnica,
15 May 2026
Noun
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Roofing and storm damage Charlotte is exposed to severe thunderstorms, hail and occasional remnants from hurricanes that push inland from the coast.—
Ryan Brennan
May 15,
Charlotte Observer,
15 May 2026
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At least 50 tropical storms or hurricane remnants have either affected or moved over California and Arizona, including storms that fell apart offshore and remnants of storms that moved north after making landfall somewhere to the south along the Baja California Peninsula.—
Dinah Voyles Pulver,
USA Today,
15 May 2026
Noun
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The remaining countries share the last 10% between them, most holding a fraction too small to measure.—
David Liberman,
Fortune,
16 May 2026
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Even streaming giants can only buy a fraction of productions.—
John Hopewell,
Variety,
16 May 2026
Noun
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Just behind the cineplex and beyond the route of the busway, are 34 acres once occupied by a scrap metal yard acquired by the city in a foreclosure in 2021.—
Kenneth R. Gosselin,
Hartford Courant,
17 May 2026
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The wastepaper baskets were filled with real scraps of newspaper.—
Andreas Wiseman,
Deadline,
17 May 2026
Noun
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Most small jewelry items are a non-issue for body scanners, but larger, bulkier pieces may need to go into a bin.—
Amelia McBride,
Travel + Leisure,
17 May 2026
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Misael eating meat alone, cutting up pieces with an enormous knife while barely lit by the flames in front of him, and, sporadically, almost-silent lightning bursts in the distant background.—
Vadim Rizov,
IndieWire,
16 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Tatter.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tatter. Accessed 21 May. 2026.
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