1
: torn into shreds : ragged
a tattered flag
2
a
: broken down : dilapidated
decaying houses along tattered paved streets—
P. B. Martin
P. B. Martin
b
: being in a shattered condition
led their tattered party to victory
3
: wearing ragged clothes
a tattered barefoot boy
Examples of tattered in a Sentence
a pile of old tattered books
arrived at the shelter tattered and exhausted
Recent Examples on the Web
Israel is widely believed to be behind a long list of drone attacks and explosions that have hit Iranian military and nuclear targets, particularly since the collapse of talks to revive Tehran’s tattered nuclear deal with world powers.
—Carol E. Lee, NBC News, 13 Apr. 2024
The Logan Circle store has long featured a tattered awning, a mess of toys haphazardly placed in its display window and a weathered wooden sign out front advertising what people might find inside.
—Theresa Vargas, Washington Post, 13 Apr. 2024
Two hours after the attack, Abu Awad sat on a tattered couch outside the building where Judeh lived in Turmus Ayya.
—Nabih Bulos, Los Angeles Times, 28 Mar. 2024
In 2021, Zac Posen dressed Debbie Harry in a tattered flag gown for the Met Gala, the dress’s stripes wrapped around a visible cage skirt.
—Mattie Kahn, Vogue, 6 Mar. 2024
Across the street, a tattered Oceanview Plaza banner flapped in the wind.
—Alicia Victoria Lozano, NBC News, 15 Feb. 2024
The spot makes several nods to the original, with Braff’s tattered gray sweatshirt not-so-subtly sliding off his shoulder, and Momoa (along with the magic of television) reenacting a midair flip.
—Gabe Lacques, USA TODAY, 5 Feb. 2024
The field was dry, the winter grass patchy in spots, and the sun kept peeking through a tattered cover of clouds.
—Bill Morris, Detroit Free Press, 28 Jan. 2024
The decoration, which retails for $180, is currently listed as sold out on Target's website, but social media users have been obsessed with how the jack-o'-lantern that is situated on top of a body draped in tattered black robes also speaks.
—Antonia Debianchi, Peoplemag, 30 Oct. 2023
Carol E. Lee, NBC News, 13 Apr. 2024
The Logan Circle store has long featured a tattered awning, a mess of toys haphazardly placed in its display window and a weathered wooden sign out front advertising what people might find inside.
—Theresa Vargas, Washington Post, 13 Apr. 2024
Two hours after the attack, Abu Awad sat on a tattered couch outside the building where Judeh lived in Turmus Ayya.
—Nabih Bulos, Los Angeles Times, 28 Mar. 2024
In 2021, Zac Posen dressed Debbie Harry in a tattered flag gown for the Met Gala, the dress’s stripes wrapped around a visible cage skirt.
—Mattie Kahn, Vogue, 6 Mar. 2024
Across the street, a tattered Oceanview Plaza banner flapped in the wind.
—Alicia Victoria Lozano, NBC News, 15 Feb. 2024
The spot makes several nods to the original, with Braff’s tattered gray sweatshirt not-so-subtly sliding off his shoulder, and Momoa (along with the magic of television) reenacting a midair flip.
—Gabe Lacques, USA TODAY, 5 Feb. 2024
The field was dry, the winter grass patchy in spots, and the sun kept peeking through a tattered cover of clouds.
—Bill Morris, Detroit Free Press, 28 Jan. 2024
The decoration, which retails for $180, is currently listed as sold out on Target's website, but social media users have been obsessed with how the jack-o'-lantern that is situated on top of a body draped in tattered black robes also speaks.
—Antonia Debianchi, Peoplemag, 30 Oct. 2023
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'tattered.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Tattered.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tattered. Accessed 26 Apr. 2024.
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