tattered

Language: en

🇺🇸 /ˈtætɜrd/

📖 Definitions

  1. adjective
    Torn, ragged, or in a state of disrepair, especially referring to clothing or fabric.; In a ruined or devastated condition; shattered or destroyed.; Wearing ragged or torn clothes; dressed in rags.
  2. verb
    Past tense and past participle of 'tatter'; to tear or make ragged.

🔗 Details

Word forms

countable Plural: tatters 3rd sing.: tatters Past: tattered Past part.: tattered Pres part.: tattering

Collocations

in tatterstattered clothestattered flagtattered remainstattered edgestattered book

Derivatives

tatteredtatters

Synonyms

raggedtornshreddedfrayedthreadbareworn

Antonyms

intactpristinewhole

Commonly confused

torn
EN: 'Torn' is a general term for something ripped; 'tattered' implies multiple tears and a more severely damaged, ragged state.
ragged
EN: 'Ragged' emphasizes uneven, rough edges; 'tattered' emphasizes being torn into shreds or tatters.

Spelling tips

EN: Remember the double 't' in 'tattered' — it comes from 'tatter,' which itself has a double 't'.

💬 Examples

  1. The old man wore a tattered coat that had seen better days.

  2. The tattered remains of the building stood as a reminder of the war.

  3. A tattered group of refugees arrived at the border seeking asylum.

  4. The strong winds tattered the flags along the parade route.