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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

Tehran’s arsenal of missiles and rockets able to hit distant targets is in tatters.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 15, 2026

Two-time Grand Slam champion Gauff's serve deserted her, broken four times in the first set and twice in the second to leave her title aspirations in tatters.

From Barron's • Jan. 27, 2026

Thousands of other empires were in tatters also, including that of the seemingly untouchable bank that had financed him.

From "Friday Night Lights: A Town, A Team, And A Dream" by H.G. Bissinger

in tatters

Example Sentences

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