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Showing results for in tatters.

in tatters

ADJECTIVE
ragged
Synonyms
STRONG
battered broken dilapidated disorganized fragmented frayed frazzled jagged mean notched patched rent rough serrated shredded torn
WEAK
badly dressed badly worn contemptible crude desultory dingy down-at-the-heel full of holes in holes in rags irregular moth-eaten poor poorly made rugged scraggy seedy shabby shaggy shoddy tacky tattered tatty threadbare uneven unfinished unkempt unpressed worse for wear
Antonyms
STRONG
complete even fixed nice polite smooth
WEAK
kempt new
ADJECTIVE
raggedy
Synonyms
WEAK
badly dressed badly worn battered broken dilapidated frayed frazzled full of holes in rags in shreds moth-eaten poorly made ragged ripped rugged scraggy seedy shabby shaggy shoddy tatterdemalion threadbare torn torn to pieces unkempt
ADJECTIVE
scraggly
Synonyms
STRONGEST
bedraggled scruffy unkempt
WEAK
badly dressed badly worn dilapidated dingy dirty disheveled frayed frazzled full of holes grubby grungy messy moth-eaten shabby sloppy tacky tattered threadbare torn unclean uncombed ungroomed worse for wear
Antonyms
STRONGEST
kempt neat tidy
ADJECTIVE
tatterdemalion
Synonyms
STRONG
shoddy
WEAK
badly dressed badly worn battered broken dilapidated frayed frazzled full of holes in rags in shreds moth-eaten poorly made ragged raggedy ripped rugged scraggy seedy shabby shaggy threadbare torn torn to pieces unkempt
ADJECTIVE
tattered
Synonyms
STRONGEST
battered dilapidated frayed ripped shabby threadbare torn
WEAK
badly dressed badly worn broken frazzled full of holes in rags in shreds moth-eaten poorly made rugged scraggy seedy shaggy shoddy torn to pieces unkempt

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Iran’s navy appears to be in tatters, their nuclear program suffered more damage, along with their supply of long-range missiles.

From Salon • Mar. 24, 2026

She said the situation had “humiliated” her and left her career in tatters, but maintained that the way her case was handled was unfair.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 18, 2026

England have had cause for frank discussions during this Six Nations after three successive defeats left their title aspirations in tatters.

From BBC • Mar. 12, 2026

The sugar industry, the engine of the economy since colonial times, is now in tatters.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 6, 2026

And jeans and underwear and a thin leather belt and a T- shirt with a windbreaker so tom it hung on him in tatters.

From "Hatchet" by Gary Paulsen