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ragtag

adjective
rag·​tag | \ ˈrag-ˌtag How to pronounce ragtag (audio) \

Definition of ragtag

1 : ragged, unkempt
2 : motley sense 2 a ragtag bunch of misfits
Synonyms & Antonyms Breaking Down Ragtag More Example Sentences Learn More about ragtag

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Breaking Down Ragtag

Tag and rag was a relatively common expression in the 16th and 17th centuries, and it was often used pejoratively to refer to members of the lower classes of society. By the 18th century, the phrase had been expanded to "rag, tag and bobtail." That expression could mean either "the lower classes" or "the entire lot of something" (as opposed to just the more desirable parts - the entire unit of an army, for example, not just its more capable soldiers). Something described as "ragtag and bobtail," then, was usually common and unspectacular. "Ragtag and bobtail" was eventually shortened to "ragtag," the adjective we know today, which can describe an odd mixture that is often hastily assembled or second-rate.

Examples of ragtag in a Sentence

a ragtag group of musicians the team was a ragtag bunch who had only one thing in common: a lack of skill

Recent Examples on the Web

 During the height of the Cold War, a ragtag bunch of college hockey players took on the best players from the former Soviet Union — the four-time defending Olympic champions — and somehow emerged victorious in Lake Placid. — Steve Gardner, USA TODAY, "July 4: A look back at some of the most patriotic moments in American sports," 4 July 2019 The show features a ragtag group of, well, single parents looking out for one another and their kids. — Rachel Yang, Teen Vogue, "Unintelligent Asians Are Smart for Television," 8 Aug. 2019 Her teammate, Edana Lynch, nodded — here, everyone fits seamlessly into an intentionally ragtag game. — Nicole Blackwood, chicagotribune.com, "‘We’re like the forgotten people’: Chicago Riots junior roller derby offers rough-and-tumble community of acceptance," 18 July 2019 Rounding out the ragtag bunch of kids are Bart as Finn Wolfhard’s Mike, Nelson as Gaten Matarazzo’s Dustin and Martin as Caleb McLaughlin’s Lucas. — Christi Carras, Los Angeles Times, "‘The Simpsons’ will scare up a ‘Stranger Things’ parody for Episode 666," 15 July 2019 Watching a ragtag group of kids save the day never seems to get old. — Maya Phillips, The New Yorker, "The New Season of “Stranger Things” Shows the Limits of Kids Saving the World," 9 July 2019 The side of a supertanker docked in Cleveland in the hot sun, once a proud seaworthy vessel, now a ragtag museum. — David Means, Harper's magazine, "A writer alone with the work," 10 Apr. 2019 At Seattle’s Pike Place Market, where a ragtag collection of produce, meat, and seafood stalls overlooks the city’s downtown waterfront, crowds gather around comforting displays of food. — Corey Arnold, National Geographic, "Why wild salmon remains king in the Pacific Northwest," 27 Mar. 2019 As part of the subsequent cover-up, Quinn is locked up with a ragtag bunch of military misfits. — Keith Phipps, The Verge, "With Predator in theaters, it’s the perfect time to revisit The Monster Squad," 14 Sep. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'ragtag.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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First Known Use of ragtag

1865, in the meaning defined at sense 1

History and Etymology for ragtag

ragtag and bobtail

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More Definitions for ragtag

ragtag

adjective
How to pronounce ragtag (audio)

English Language Learners Definition of ragtag

informal : made up of different people or things and not organized or put together well

See the full definition for ragtag in the English Language Learners Dictionary

ragtag

adjective
rag·​tag | \ ˈrag-ˌtag How to pronounce ragtag (audio) \

Kids Definition of ragtag

: not well organized or put together The ragtag team somehow won the game.

More from Merriam-Webster on ragtag

Rhyming Dictionary: Words that rhyme with ragtag

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for ragtag

Nglish: Translation of ragtag for Spanish Speakers

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