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
Related Words
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
-
Kancey, 25, tore his pectoral muscle in a Week 2 win at Houston and missed most of last season.—
Rick Stroud,
The Orlando Sentinel,
28 Apr. 2026
-
So when Khalil is killed and his family targeted exactly because of this work, Jimmy is torn by guilt and grief.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
28 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Dennard offered a shred of advice.—
Luca Evans,
Denver Post,
12 Apr. 2026
-
Only film-lover Bella retains a shred of optimism into adulthood, having started a new romance with a film usher.—
Charles Lewis III,
Mercury News,
10 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The mood was optimistic, described as a night-and-day shift from last year’s conference, right after MAGA had ripped through the Democratic coalition.—
David Weigel,
semafor.com,
29 Apr. 2026
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One person in Atlanta has appeared in his videos as Batman villains, for free, dressed in homemade costumes that look like they were ripped straight from the television or movies.—
Charlotte Observer,
Charlotte Observer,
29 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Romania has confirmed drone fragments on its territory on multiple occasions.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
25 Apr. 2026
-
Romania has confirmed drone fragments on its territory on multiple occasions during the war in Ukraine.—
Elise Morton,
Los Angeles Times,
25 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The shell still contained remnants of its original plug and traces of plant material, which were recovered for analysis.—
Andrea Margolis,
FOXNews.com,
24 Apr. 2026
-
Using innovative fossil reconstruction techniques, the researchers revealed remnants of two extinct species locked inside large rocks.—
Ari Daniel,
NPR,
24 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Yet without laws allowing for domestic partnerships of three or more people, they are left spending thousands of dollars on attorney’s fees to craft a patchwork of legal agreements that afford just small fraction of the contractual protection conferred to married couples by default.—
Sonja Sharp,
Los Angeles Times,
25 Apr. 2026
-
Its trillion-parameter system uses a Mixture-of-Experts approach, activating only a fraction of parameters per task.—
Aamir Khollam,
Interesting Engineering,
24 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Use Orange Peels as Compost Several fruit and vegetable scraps, including orange peels, can be added to your soil as compost.—
Michelle Mastro,
Martha Stewart,
25 Apr. 2026
-
Green ingredients are nitrogen-rich materials such as kitchen scraps and grass cuttings.—
Brandee Gruener,
Southern Living,
24 Apr. 2026
Noun
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The curators Christine Riding and Lucy Bamford have brought together ten canvases that were originally shown in London between 1765 and 1773—the pieces thanks to which, during his mid-thirties, the North Midlands artist first secured a national reputation.—
Julian Bell,
The New York Review of Books,
25 Apr. 2026
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Although Rolder’s short arm length could give him some trouble with block-shedding, several workable pieces on his profile likely speak to what Buffalo would go for in its new defense at a reduced cost.—
Joe Buscaglia,
New York Times,
25 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Tatter.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tatter. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
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