ragged

1 of 3

adjective

rag·​ged ˈra-gəd How to pronounce ragged (audio)
Synonyms of ragged
1
: roughly unkempt
2
: having an irregular edge or outline
3
a
: torn or worn to tatters
b
: worn-out from stress and strain
ran herself ragged
4
: wearing tattered clothes
5
a
: straggly
b
: executed in an irregular or uneven manner
c
of a sound : harsh, dissonant
raggedly adverb
raggedness noun

ragged

2 of 3

past tense and past participle of rag entry 3

raggedness

3 of 3

noun

rag·​ged·​ness
ˈra-gəd-nəs
plural -es
: the quality or state of being ragged

Synonyms of ragged

Relevance

Adjective

See All Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus

Examples of ragged in a Sentence

Adjective a boy in ragged jeans You look a little ragged—did you have a rough week?
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Adjective
Our family teetered on the cusp of something ragged and broken. — Raj Panjabi, Time, 13 Oct. 2026 The girl’s nails were ragged from biting, and Zhanna struggled to balance her daughter’s grief alongside her own. — Scott Peterson, Christian Science Monitor, 7 Oct. 2026 Until the late 1970s, when the Sandinistas were still a ragged, left-wing guerrilla movement, the United States provided guns, money and military training to the right-wing political dynasty that ruled Nicaragua with an iron fist. — Jack Dolan, Los Angeles Times, 6 Oct. 2026 Dull blades leave tears and ragged ends that cause grass blades to wither and bleach out more quickly. — Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 26 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for ragged

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of ragged was in the 14th century

Phrases Containing ragged

Browse Nearby Words

ragga
ragged
ragged cup
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Ragged.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ragged. Accessed 14 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation

Kids Definition

ragged

adjective
rag·​ged ˈrag-əd How to pronounce ragged (audio)
1
: having a rough or uneven edge or outline
ragged cliffs
2
a
: torn or worn to or as if to tatters
a ragged dress
b
: wearing tattered clothes
a ragged child
3
: done in an uneven way
a ragged performance
raggedly adverb
raggedness noun
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of deportment

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

The Exceptions of '-s' and '-es' Plurals

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

7 Words for Bad Endings and Rough Situations

The Words of the Week - Oct. 9

Why do we call it a 'flea market'?
See More

Popular

See More

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
a cup of tea and a golf ball on tee side by side
Quiz: Sounds Like... Choose the word that sounds like it fits the clue...
See All