ragged 1 of 2

1
as in jagged
having an uneven edge or outline the Rocky Mountains cut an angular, ragged profile against the sky, in contrast to the rounded silhouette of the rolling, green Adirondack Mountains

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2
3
4
as in raggedy
wearing torn or worn-out clothes ragged and hungry refugees emerging from the jungle where they had been in hiding for weeks

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ragged

2 of 2

verb

past tense of rag

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of ragged
Adjective
Slug and earwig damage often looks similar because these pests both chew ragged holes in plant leaves and do most of their feeding after dark. Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 25 June 2025 In any case, SpongeBob becomes more and more ragged as the days go by and Patrick fails to share the parental load. Josh Weiss, Forbes.com, 24 June 2025 That one was the last one, the gold medal game against France in which the United States trailed by as many as 10 points in the third quarter before coming back to escape with a ragged 67–66 victory. Lizz Schumer, People.com, 23 June 2025 An unkempt lawn with ragged edges signals a lack of care to all who pass it by. Sophie Flaxman, Better Homes & Gardens, 11 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for ragged
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ragged
Adjective
  • The vastness of the canyon, with its jagged edges and rushing rivers.
    Shelby Slade, AZCentral.com, 16 July 2025
  • Major stock indexes continued their jagged descent downward in morning trading Tuesday after tumbling Monday.
    Tobias Burns, The Hill, 9 July 2025
Adjective
  • On a visit to another small Ok. town, Cox spied a tattered awning that said Country Bird, which was the perfect name for her bakery.
    Gary Stern, Forbes.com, 1 July 2025
  • Living under a tattered flag of St. George, the people here have reconstructed some semblance of society by relying on traditional tasks and traditional attitudes.
    Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 18 June 2025
Adjective
  • Long runs over uneven, rocky trail comes with its share of foot issues, but few sacrifices are greater than those poor keratin creatures attached to your precious foot fingers.
    Kade Krichko, Outside Online, 22 July 2025
  • King argued that political rights alone were not enough in an uneven economy.
    Bill Barrow, Chicago Tribune, 21 July 2025
Adjective
  • Staining not only revives faded wood but also helps protect it from sun, moisture and insects.
    Angie Hicks, Boston Herald, 27 June 2025
  • Select a faded flower and follow the stem down, cutting it 12 inches or more below the bloom, deep into the plant to encourage more long stems.
    Andy Wilcox, Better Homes & Gardens, 10 June 2025
Adjective
  • The Thai military has since claimed that more than 100 Cambodian soldiers have been killed as fighting spread throughout their rugged border, spanning some 500 miles.
    Tom O'Connor, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 July 2025
  • Adventure Mate uses a mixture of hardened tool steel, composite and aerospace-grade aluminum to create a powerful, rugged tool that weighs in under 5 lb (2.3 kg) inclusive of all the hard components (handle, axe/saw head and shovel head).
    New Atlas, New Atlas, 25 July 2025
Adjective
  • Here are several other Twins takeaways from a rough weekend in Denver, which ended on an encouraging note: Ryan shows confidence after first All-Star Game Making his first start since delivering a dominant inning in the All-Star Game on Tuesday, Ryan was outstanding in the series finale.
    Dan Hayes, New York Times, 21 July 2025
  • Devin Williams has settled down after a rough beginning of the year, and Luke Weaver remains superb despite some hiccups before the All-Star Break.
    Daniel R. Epstein, Forbes.com, 21 July 2025
Adjective
  • As with old wood blooming hydrangeas, remove broken or spindly limbs at the main stem.
    Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 19 July 2025
  • Return Strong said the prison offered months of delay for one individual with a broken wrist and finger, limited mental health care, mold covering the shower walls, restricted visitation, took away access to fruit and stuck prisoners with years of solitary confinement.
    Alex Brizee, Idaho Statesman, 19 July 2025
Verb
  • Some of Mangione's supporters have left messages of praise for him, while others have criticized the fundraising efforts.
    Hannah Parry, Newsweek, 24 Dec. 2024
  • Bo French, the chairman of the Tarrant County, Texas, GOP, criticized Chief of Naval Operations Admiral Lisa Franchetti, alleging that an emphasis on DEI programs had undermined the military's effectiveness.
    Josh Hammer, Newsweek, 24 Dec. 2024

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Cite this Entry

“Ragged.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ragged. Accessed 29 Jul. 2025.

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