tattered 1 of 2

adjective

ˈta-tərd How to pronounce tattered (audio)
Definition of tatterednext
1
as in ragged
wearing torn or worn-out clothes arrived at the shelter tattered and exhausted

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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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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

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
Adjective
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 The trailer finds the film’s protagonists alternately hunting or fleeing the vicious creature — or creatures — through a tattered town known as Hope Harbor, a remote coastal village near the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) in South Korea. — Patrick Brzeski, HollywoodReporter, 9 July 2026 There was a phone book, camera film canisters, metal pins, the tattered remains of a baseball cap and an orange t-shirt with the outline of a giant thumbs up. — Rylan Digiacomo-Rapp, The Orlando Sentinel, 29 June 2026 Tying an Italian surname to the Outfit has become a tattered badge of honor in the antiquated newsroom of certain outlets with truth thrown to the curb. — Gary Grasso, Chicago Tribune, 26 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for tattered
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tattered
  1. ragged
  2. faded
  3. ripped
  4. frayed
  5. tore
  6. shredded
Adjective
  • Dull blades leave tears and ragged ends that cause grass blades to wither and bleach out more quickly.
    — Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 26 Sep. 2026
  • Both sides deny responsibility for launching this round of hostilities, and most of the fighting is believed to be in remote areas of often ragged, mountainous territory.
    — SAMUEL GETACHEW, Arkansas Online, 25 Sep. 2026
Definition of ragged
Adjective
  • This embroidered quilt is the epitome of fall style with its warm background and mix of leaves in faded brown and golden hues.
    — Caley Sturgill, Southern Living, 19 Sep. 2026
  • The quasi-patriotic palette got contemporary edge from faded lines running through the red and dark navy stripes, which shifted between vertical and horizontal directions.
    — Julia Teti, Footwear News, 11 Sep. 2026
Definition of faded
Verb
  • The results led her doctor to order another test, during which her artery was ripped.
    — Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 6 Oct. 2026
  • But Cousins ripped the Chiefs for 365 yards, with no completion longer than 28 yards.
    — Blair Kerkhoff, Kansas City Star, 5 Oct. 2026
Definition of ripped
Adjective
  • Red trim and buttons juxtaposed the pink frayed material, with a red top handle Louis Vuitton bag and a pair of two-tone black and brown slingback pumps completing the look.
    — Julia Teti, Footwear News, 7 Oct. 2026
  • Ireland needed goalkeeper Caoimhín Kelleher at his best to deny Israel after the break, and tempers became frayed around the hour mark after a clash between Idah and Raz Shlomo.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 27 Sep. 2026
Definition of frayed
Verb
  • 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
  • And in August, in the popular tourist spot of Altai, in southern Siberia, a bear tore open a tent and dragged a 29-year-old woman into the forest and killed her.
    — Arina Porkhovnik, CNN Money, 3 Oct. 2026
Definition of tore
Verb
  • There, the batteries were shredded and processed into Black Mass, a concentrated material containing valuable minerals recovered from lithium-ion batteries.
    — Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 23 Sep. 2026
  • One of the pledges shredded the cocaine while Robinson added creatine to the cocaine.
    — Peter Charalambous, ABC News, 23 Sep. 2026
Definition of shredded

Browse Nearby Words

tatterdemalion
tattered
tattering
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Cite this Entry

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

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