tatter 1 of 2

verb

ˈta-tər How to pronounce tatter (audio)
Definition of tatternext
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

Relevance

tatter

2 of 2

noun

as in shred

Related 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 tatter
Verb
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
Noun
Their pitching staff then turned to tatters, heightening the importance of an offense that must mask it. Including Tucker, seven of Houston’s qualified hitters finished the first half with an OPS+ of 100 or higher. — Chandler Rome, The Athletic, 15 July 2024 Rourke himself approached the street at this hour in suave array and manic tatters. — Kevin Barry, Harper's Magazine, 2 July 2024 See All Example Sentences for tatter
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tatter
  1. tear
  2. shred
  3. rip
  4. fragment
  5. remnant
  6. fraction
  7. scrap
  8. piece
Verb
  • The Seahawks pulled away as the second half wore on, scoring three unanswered touchdowns and tearing through the heart of the Chargers’ defense, sometimes scarcely touched.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 5 Oct. 2026
  • Hintz, who tore his hamstring in two places last season, was moving gingerly when behind helped off the ice, but returned a few minutes later.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 3 Oct. 2026
Definition of tear
Noun
  • There’s yet to be a shred of evidence that Belichick can build and guide North Carolina’s roster into the kind of behemoth that can go on the road in the ACC, play poorly and win by double digits while barely being threatened with a loss.
    — David Ubben, New York Times, 4 Oct. 2026
  • Without a shred of evidence, Cloud casually weaponized domestic violence allegations against a fan who was simply cheering for his home team.
    — Alejandro Avila OutKick, FOXNews.com, 1 Oct. 2026
Definition of shred
Verb
  • Poindexter responded to the legal threat by ripping the letter in half.
    — Lauren Green, The Washington Examiner, 7 Oct. 2026
  • The results led her doctor to order another test, during which her artery was ripped.
    — Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of rip
Noun
  • The star is 2,160,000 ppb of low-molecular-weight collagen—in other words, smaller collagen fragments that help draw moisture to skin for a plumper, firmer look.
    — Christa Joanna Lee, Allure, 7 Oct. 2026
  • This test, as well as others like it, can detect tiny fragments of free-floating DNA in the blood.
    — H. Gilbert Welch, STAT, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of fragment
Noun
  • Some of the debris swirling in the rotating disk is a remnant from planetary formation.
    — Jacopo Prisco, CNN Money, 2 Oct. 2026
  • The threat of flooding continues Thursday in both Texas and across the Corn Belt, driven by the remnants of Hurricane Polo.
    — Matthew Cappucci, Washington Post, 1 Oct. 2026
Definition of remnant
Noun
  • Natural uranium contains a mix of isotopes, of which only a tiny fraction can sustain an explosive chain reaction.
    — Mike McRae October 06, New Atlas, 6 Oct. 2026
  • Its output and performance numbers compared favorably to the Lamborghini Revuelto, but at just a fraction of the price.
    — Bryan Hood, Robb Report, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of fraction
Noun
  • Blanding hops in and out of the truck, grabbing buckets of food scraps from porches and restaurants, piling those scraps into bins in the truck bed and driving them to a composting site.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 5 Oct. 2026
  • But his script, co-written with regular collaborator Jack Coulter, is less impressive, welding together story scraps from other, better films to rather turbid, uninvolving effect.
    — Guy Lodge, Variety, 3 Oct. 2026
Definition of scrap
Noun
  • Current quality checks are efficient at detecting simple genetic changes, such as an altered DNA letter or a small piece of DNA that has been removed or added.
    — Euan Ashley, STAT, 1 Oct. 2026
  • NFTs—unique, transferable records on a blockchain, often linked through metadata to a digital image, animation, or piece of code—were established as stand-alone value units on Ethereum in 2018 and subsequently traded as digital art.
    — Simon Denny, Artforum, 1 Oct. 2026
Definition of piece

Browse Nearby Words

tasty
tatter
tatterdemalion
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Tatter.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tatter. Accessed 9 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

The Exceptions of '-s' and '-es' Plurals

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

7 Words for Bad Endings and Rough Situations

The Words of the Week - Oct. 9

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)
See More

Popular

See More

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
a cup of tea and a golf ball on tee side by side
Quiz: Sounds Like... Choose the word that sounds like it fits the clue...
See All