tattered
adjective
tat·tered
| \ ˈta-tərd
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Definition of tattered
1
: torn into shreds : ragged
a tattered flag
2a
: broken down : dilapidated
decaying houses along tattered paved streets— P. B. Martin
b
: being in a shattered condition
led their tattered party to victory
3
: wearing ragged clothes
a tattered barefoot boy
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Examples of tattered in a Sentence
a pile of old tattered books
arrived at the refugee camp tattered and exhausted
Recent Examples on the Web
As did cellist Kelsey Lu, who sang and strummed wearing a tattered denim top, lime patent leather pants, and massive bejeweled brows. — Brad Wete, Billboard, "Jimetta Rose and More Bring Soul to The Broad Museum's Black Fire Sessions Finale," 24 Aug. 2019 Their map — questionable to begin with — is tattered. — Rich Campbell, chicagotribune.com, "Column: In the Bears’ kicker search, the destination justifies the journey. But with the season approaching, can they find their way?," 21 Aug. 2019 Seated beside her on a tattered couch, local chief Cyrien Sanzgueemo said there is no medicine or aid for impoverished village families. — Washington Post, "In Burundi, fears that next year’s vote will be bloody again," 28 July 2019 Plato created the enduring image of him as a saintly bum, wandering the streets barefoot, wrapped in a tattered cloak, too absorbed in his ceaseless contemplation of virtue and justice to take any interest in worldly affairs. — Jamie James, WSJ, "‘Socrates in Love’ Review: A Vigorous, Brilliant Young Man," 17 May 2019 The cul-de-sac was separated from a busy county highway by a chain-link fence and a drainage ditch; highway traffic massed there behind a red light—on this day, a garbage truck, an old brown sedan, a pickup flying a tattered Confederate flag. — J. Robert Lennon, The New Yorker, "The Loop," 19 Aug. 2019 There was also one torn and tattered Drew Henson (No. 7). — Jim Mcbride, BostonGlobe.com, "Day 10: Things get testy between Patriots and Lions," 6 Aug. 2019 The early explorers, fur trappers and prospectors who opened up Alaska traveled mostly with some tattered canvas, a sleeping bag and a pot. — John Schandelmeier, Anchorage Daily News, "Alaska’s early explorers were tough buzzards when it came to traveling and camping," 6 Aug. 2019 Only rarely now does Rautenberg bring out her tattered, overflowing scrapbooks of news clippings and black-and-white photos of big-band concerts, fancy banquets, beach frolics and life on the road. — Marc Ramirez, Dallas News, "At 91, Denton-raised big band vocalist is low key about the high life of her youth," 28 July 2019These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'tattered.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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More Definitions for tattered
tattered
adjective
English Language Learners Definition of tattered
: old and torn
See the full definition for tattered in the English Language Learners Dictionary
tattered
adjective
tat·tered
| \ ˈta-tərd
\
\
Kids Definition of tattered
1
: torn in or worn to shreds
tattered clothes
2
: dressed in ragged clothes
a tattered orphan
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