1
as in ragged
wearing torn or worn-out clothes
arrived at the shelter tattered and exhausted
Synonyms & Similar Words
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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
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Recent Examples of tattered
Dana Frank, Foreign Affairs, 22 Nov. 2013
What if standing up to Trump is the very thing that saves the Liberal Party, and Trudeau’s tattered legacy?
—Talib Visram, TIME, 7 Feb. 2025
But the tattered state of the alliance system is not Trump’s doing alone.
—Mira Rapp-Hooper, Foreign Affairs, 10 Feb. 2020
With tattered cardboard signs directing cars and a makeshift sense of professionalism, the system was clear.
—Cerys Davies, Los Angeles Times, 17 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for tattered
Adjective
The other traditional party, the Liberal Party, has splintered between those who remain loyal to Zelaya and those who led the coup, including Mauricio Villeda, the presidential candidate who leads a tattered vestige of his party.
—Dana Frank, Foreign Affairs, 22 Nov. 2013
What if standing up to Trump is the very thing that saves the Liberal Party, and Trudeau’s tattered legacy?
—Talib Visram, TIME, 7 Feb. 2025
But the tattered state of the alliance system is not Trump’s doing alone.
—Mira Rapp-Hooper, Foreign Affairs, 10 Feb. 2020
With tattered cardboard signs directing cars and a makeshift sense of professionalism, the system was clear.
—Cerys Davies, Los Angeles Times, 17 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for tattered
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tattered
Adjective
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Slug and earwig damage often looks similar because these pests both chew ragged holes in plant leaves and do most of their feeding after dark.—
Lauren Landers,
Better Homes & Gardens,
25 June 2025
-
In any case, SpongeBob becomes more and more ragged as the days go by and Patrick fails to share the parental load.—
Josh Weiss,
Forbes.com,
24 June 2025
Adjective
-
Staining not only revives faded wood but also helps protect it from sun, moisture and insects.—
Angie Hicks,
Boston Herald,
27 June 2025
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Select a faded flower and follow the stem down, cutting it 12 inches or more below the bloom, deep into the plant to encourage more long stems.—
Andy Wilcox,
Better Homes & Gardens,
10 June 2025
Verb
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But the Hawks’ present-day problems ripped them right back into the here and now.—
Phil Thompson,
Chicago Tribune,
1 Jan. 2025
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Milton’s hurricane-force winds ripped trees from already soggy soils, but its historic rain also flooded neighborhoods that had never experienced waters so high.—
Jack Prator,
Orlando Sentinel,
30 Dec. 2024
Adjective
-
Photo: New York Magazine Bartsch leads the pack, dancing on a speaker (her favorite spot), wearing cutoff shorts, white leggings, red suspenders, and a frayed and cropped jean jacket with holes in the shoulders.—
Amy Virshup,
Vulture,
14 May 2025
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After years of hostile and frayed relations, Iran and Saudi Arabia have agreed to reestablish diplomatic ties and reopen mutual embassies – a deal reportedly brokered by China that has raised eyebrows across the globe.—
Caitlin McFall,
Fox News,
21 Mar. 2023
Verb
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The Carolina Panthers’ outside linebacker tore his quad on Christmas Eve last year in what turned out to be his final game with the Minnesota Vikings.—
Joseph Person,
The Athletic,
24 Dec. 2024
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In its first game without Sixth Man of the Year candidate Moe Wagner, who tore the ACL in his left knee on Saturday, Orlando relied on a wide variety of scorers, with five finishing in double figures.—
Jason Beede,
Orlando Sentinel,
24 Dec. 2024
Verb
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Later Cardini shredded the leaves into bite-sized pieces.—
John Mariani,
Forbes,
8 Jan. 2025
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One vice that Simpson shredded in 2020 was her battle with alcohol.—
Gord Magill,
Newsweek,
21 Dec. 2024
Cite this Entry
“Tattered.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tattered. Accessed 8 Jul. 2025.
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