Synonyms of tattered

tattered 1 of 2

adjective

ˈta-tərd 

1

as in ragged

wearing torn or worn-out clothes

arrived at the shelter tattered and exhausted

Synonyms & Similar Words

• ragged
• raggedy
• out at elbows
• scruffy
• shabby
• bedraggled
• tatterdemalion
• ragtag
• scroungy
• threadbare
• down-at-the-heels

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• decked (out)
• spiffy
• dressed up
• dolled up

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

• ragged
• faded
• frayed
• shabby
• shredded
• raggedy
• dilapidated
• seedy
• threadbare
• ratty
• worn-out
• scruffy
• dingy
• dowdy
• decrepit
• patchy
• mangy
• lacerate
• tatterdemalion
• dog-eared
• grungy
• holey
• broken-down
• tacky
• scuzzy
• moth-eaten
• run-down

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• new
• unused
• brand-new
• spick-and-span

tattered

2 of 2

verb

past tense of tatter

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

• ripped
• tore
• shredded
• rent
• ribboned
• rived
• broke
• split
• cut
• ruptured
• slashed
• cleaved
• lacerated
• mangled
• dissected
• incised
• dismembered
• butchered
• gashed
• hacked

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of tattered

Adjective

The tattered cypresses and long-needle pines damp out the shine of her tracksuit, closing swiftly around dog and girl. — Literary Hub, 3 Sep. 2026

On a recent afternoon, the lanky, mustachioed Zucker, wearing a T-shirt, ballcap and small hoop earrings, bears little resemblance to his comic alter ego who sports a tattered suit with gag props stuffed in every pocket. — Deputy Entertainment, Los Angeles Times, 25 Aug. 2026

For weeks, migrants in the Spanish territory of Ceuta had gathered on a beach away from the city center, sleeping on cardboard sheets, under reed huts and guarding their few possessions in tattered plastic bags. — ABC News, 20 Aug. 2026

The ferocious character also features shaggy black-and-orange hair that matches his tattered pants, and a large necklace adorned with teeth. — Chanel Vargas, InStyle, 30 July 2026