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
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
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
See All Example Sentences for tatter
Verb
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
Noun
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
See All Example Sentences for tatter
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tatter
Verb
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Eddie is happy to sit in the corner with Shane, sucking on his new veneers, and let the women tear each other to shreds, never getting involved.—
Brian Moylan,
Vulture,
10 Oct. 2025
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As the #MeToo movement enters a tumultuous new era, experts seem torn about what Combs' case changed − if anything.—
Anna Kaufman,
USA Today,
10 Oct. 2025
Noun
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The shreds will quickly soften in a few minutes at room temperature.—
Alana Al-Hatlani,
Southern Living,
10 Oct. 2025
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After all, that warped sitcom spoof has to be one of the most genuinely demented things to ever air, without a shred of warning and in the middle of the night, on cable TV.—
A.A. Dowd,
Vulture,
3 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Ashby then ripped another heater, this one down and away at the very edge of the zone.—
Sahadev Sharma,
New York Times,
12 Oct. 2025
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Plus, Magneto ripped out all the adamantium from Wolverine’s body in the penultimate episode, so there’s lots to explore in Season 2.—
Jordan Moreau,
Variety,
11 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Among the artifacts retrieved was a fragment of an arcade arch that weighs more than 440 pounds.—
Andrea Margolis,
FOXNews.com,
11 Oct. 2025
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The enzymes target specific chemical structures along the polymer, bind at those points, and cleave the chains into microbial-friendly fragments.—
Tejasri Gururaj,
Interesting Engineering,
9 Oct. 2025
Noun
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And, major flooding occurred at two locations in Alaska as the remnants of Typhoon Halong arrived.—
Dinah Voyles Pulver,
USA Today,
11 Oct. 2025
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Breakker dragged Reigns’ carcass out of the remnants from the table to help set up Reed for the Tsunami.—
Ryan Gaydos,
FOXNews.com,
11 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Farley’s former patients allege Wentworth and his team fumbled the case, only allowing testimony from a small fraction of women who had filed police reports.—
Meena Duerson,
CNN Money,
11 Oct. 2025
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Saab asserts that a handful of CDMS batteries could secure hundreds of kilometers of coastline, giving nations a credible maritime strike capability for a fraction of the cost of a surface combatant.—
Prabhat Ranjan Mishra,
Interesting Engineering,
11 Oct. 2025
Noun
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What began in 1978 as a practical shoe with a ribbon pulled from an atelier scrap pile is now shorthand for Ferragamo itself.—
Maggie Clancy,
Footwear News,
14 Oct. 2025
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Beyond being an early adopter of the platform, Rife wasn’t just posting scraps; there was a lot of meat on those bones.—
David Zucker,
Deadline,
13 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Today, the shells continue to be found on powwow regalia (Russell McCloud is an in-demand artist for traditional breastplates), as well as on avant-garde runway fashions and fine jewelry pieces.—
Christian Allaire,
Vogue,
13 Oct. 2025
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Add the butter and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse meal with some pea-size pieces remaining.—
Cathy Thomas,
Oc Register,
13 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Tatter.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tatter. Accessed 16 Oct. 2025.
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