1
as in dilapidated
showing signs of advanced wear and tear and neglect
bought a threadbare couch at a garage sale
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in cliche
used or heard so often as to be dull
a novel filled with nothing but threadbare clichés
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3
as in tattered
worn or torn into or as if into rags
I loved that threadbare shirt, but after 10 years of wear, it was time to throw it away
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4
as in impoverished
lacking money or material possessions
never knew that she had so many threadbare relatives until she won the lottery
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of threadbare
Or rampant public urination represents another snag in the threadbare social fabric.
—
Dan Piepenbring, Harpers Magazine, 29 Apr. 2025
At least one of those additions is likely to come at linebacker, where the Trojans’ depth is most threadbare.
—Ryan Kartje, Los Angeles Times, 16 Apr. 2025
Bidgood’s vision is neither as exhilaratingly threadbare as Smith’s nor as perversely opulent as Anger’s — still, blown up to 35-millimeter, the eight-millimeter stock is gorgeously grainy.
—J. Hoberman, New York Times, 9 Apr. 2025
The plot, too, is threadbare to the point of incoherence, with a slew of overqualified performers — including Imelda Staunton and Lesley Manville — left to fill in the gaps as fairies, man-crows, and anthropomorphized mushroom caps.
—Staff Author, EW.com, 22 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for threadbare
Dan Piepenbring, Harpers Magazine, 29 Apr. 2025
At least one of those additions is likely to come at linebacker, where the Trojans’ depth is most threadbare.
—Ryan Kartje, Los Angeles Times, 16 Apr. 2025
Bidgood’s vision is neither as exhilaratingly threadbare as Smith’s nor as perversely opulent as Anger’s — still, blown up to 35-millimeter, the eight-millimeter stock is gorgeously grainy.
—J. Hoberman, New York Times, 9 Apr. 2025
The plot, too, is threadbare to the point of incoherence, with a slew of overqualified performers — including Imelda Staunton and Lesley Manville — left to fill in the gaps as fairies, man-crows, and anthropomorphized mushroom caps.
—Staff Author, EW.com, 22 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for threadbare
Recent Examples of Synonyms for threadbare
Adjective
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But Spencer said replacing old, dilapidated buildings with newer ones could also put the district in a better position to compete with charter schools.—
Silas Allen,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
26 June 2025
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That made staying in Oakland untenable for the franchise, which played its final season in the dilapidated stadium last year.—
W.G. Ramirez,
Chicago Tribune,
23 June 2025
Adjective
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Set in the year 3333 on a desolate alien world, players take on the role of the Swordsman, a somewhat blank slate character with minimalist features clad in a tattered cloak.—
Christopher Cruz,
Rolling Stone,
24 June 2025
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And then, in close-up, a bulldozer turns over rubble, and a family photograph is glimpsed in the debris, a tattered symbol of what has been lost.—
Catherine Bray,
Variety,
25 May 2025
Adjective
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The impoverished duke needs Gladys' dowry to prop up his family's estate, and Bertha may have promised him a bit too much without informing George or taking Gladys' wishes into account.—
Kelly Lawler,
USA Today,
23 June 2025
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Known collectively as Hessians, since most Germans hired by London to fight in America came from Hesse-Kassel, this contingent was largely from the small, impoverished duchy of Brunswick, whose ruling family had intermarried with the British royal family.—
/ CBS News,
CBS News,
13 June 2025
Adjective
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What’s a neglected part of your ME—your health, learning, or joy?—
Nell Derick Debevoise,
Forbes.com,
10 June 2025
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But the area where these cuts will be felt most acutely is with respect to elder abuse, which is already a neglected area of health care and social services.—
Thomas G. Moukawsher,
MSNBC Newsweek,
17 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Several leaders described the pressure of being both highly visible and easily stereotyped.—
Benjamin Laker,
Forbes.com,
13 May 2025
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Their negative stereotyped reputation seems to follow them like ageism follows older employees or sexism follows female employees.—
Bryan Robinson,
Forbes.com,
19 Apr. 2025
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
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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
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The key drivers are BGE’s soaring spending and profits and poor management by PJM Interconnection, the private entity that operates our electric grid.—
Emily Scarr,
Baltimore Sun,
29 June 2025
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Despite having a poor 2024 season that saw the Pirates remove Bednar from the closer role, the right-hander is back to his dominant form.—
Zach Pressnell,
MSNBC Newsweek,
29 June 2025
Adjective
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Mowing Lawns Homeowners are usually away on vacation or are probably too tired to maintain their yards.—
Sho Dewan,
Forbes.com,
23 June 2025
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But, in Dick’s opinion, Charlie grew tired of baseball’s daily grind.—
Patrick Saunders,
Denver Post,
22 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Threadbare.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/threadbare. Accessed 5 Jul. 2025.
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