1
as in ragged
wearing torn or worn-out clothes
arrived at the shelter tattered and exhausted
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in faded
worn or torn into or as if into rags
a hobo in tattered old clothes and worn-out shoes
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in ripped
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
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of tattered
Jason Motlagh,
Rolling Stone,
22 June 2026
The look was created from tattered bootleg championship shirts in blue, white and orange, which were sourced from vendors in NYC this week.
—
Karla Rodriguez,
Footwear News,
18 June 2026
Their vibrant appendages become tattered and dull.
—
Katherine J. Wu,
The Atlantic,
16 June 2026
Nichols organized a day where 26 volunteers came together to replace American tattered and torn flags with brand new ones, including David and Sue Hornbrook's torn flag.
—
Charlie Lapastora,
CBS News,
15 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for tattered
Adjective
One-touch passing, feinting and ripping hard shots into a tattered net, each is super-charged by vivid daydreams of glory on the international stage.
—
Jason Motlagh,
Rolling Stone,
22 June 2026
The look was created from tattered bootleg championship shirts in blue, white and orange, which were sourced from vendors in NYC this week.
—
Karla Rodriguez,
Footwear News,
18 June 2026
Their vibrant appendages become tattered and dull.
—
Katherine J. Wu,
The Atlantic,
16 June 2026
Nichols organized a day where 26 volunteers came together to replace American tattered and torn flags with brand new ones, including David and Sue Hornbrook's torn flag.
—
Charlie Lapastora,
CBS News,
15 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for tattered
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tattered
Adjective
-
This leaves ragged and bruised leaf tips behind that quickly turn brown and are more susceptible to disease.
-
His hushed, ragged whisper feels suitably weathered, fitting a collection of songs that never are in a hurry.
Adjective
-
Directed by Son Jae-gon and starring Gang Dong-won, Uhm Tae-goo, and Park Ji-hyun, the film tracks a faded first-generation K-pop co-ed dance trio making a reckless attempt to stage a comeback two decades after a plagiarism scandal dissolved their careers.
-
The one difference was a new layer of red bricks over the faded previous layer.
Verb
-
Lineage, which describes itself as the world's largest owner of cold storage facilities, experienced a fire at another of its warehouses, in Finley, Washington, which ripped through the entire building and burned for two months in 2024.
-
The lessons aren’t all that different from the great breadstick campaign of 2014, when Starboard’s Jeff Smith’s play at Olive Garden parent Darden literally ripped the company for undersalting its pasta water in an effort to save money on pots and pans.
Adjective
-
The post-World War II liberal consensus is badly frayed and may well implode.
-
The memento, sourced from a Salvation Army, does show some signs of use in the film, including staining, frayed fringe, and some loose threads.
Verb
-
In 2021, disaster nearly erased the landmark entirely when a fire tore through much of the restaurant, heavily damaging the building.
-
In the hours after two earthquakes tore through northern Venezuela on the evening of June 24, the people pulling survivors from the rubble were, overwhelmingly, the survivors’ own neighbors.
Verb
-
The first pair hardly lasted a season; after several backpacking missions on soggy trails, the mesh on the uppers was practically shredded, and the outsoles had started to separate from the rest of the shoe.
-
In a building across from City Hall Park, staff shredded additional paper Wednesday, with plans to use a leaf blower for maximum effect.
Cite this Entry
“Tattered.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tattered. Accessed 2 Jul. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
