1
as in dilapidated
showing signs of advanced wear and tear and neglect
some ratty old magazines were the only reading material in the mountaintop cabin
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in tattered
worn or torn into or as if into rags
can I use this ratty old T-shirt to wipe up some paint?
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in irritable
easily irritated or annoyed
I get pretty ratty after hours of dealing with demanding customers
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in lame
arousing or deserving of one's loathing and disgust
that's a ratty way to treat an old friend who's fallen on hard times
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of ratty
What our gifter says: This is the perfect upgrade for the grandad who’s been carrying the same ratty wallet since the ’90s.
—
Jake Henry Smith, Glamour, 25 Oct. 2024
The Best Pajamas for Lounging and Sleeping Give your ratty old T-shirt and sweats the night off.
—Sarah Madaus, SELF, 22 Oct. 2024
The Best Pajamas for Lounging and Sleeping Give your ratty old T-shirt and sweats the night off.
17 of the Highest Rated Sheet Sets on Amazon Under $40
Snuggle up.
—Malia Griggs, SELF, 18 Oct. 2024
The room looks appropriately ratty: the floor is scuffed, the radiator covered in thick grime, and someone seems to have started, with impatient streaks, to paint one of the walls.
—Benjamin Moser, The New Yorker, 8 Oct. 2024
See All Example Sentences for ratty
Jake Henry Smith, Glamour, 25 Oct. 2024
The Best Pajamas for Lounging and Sleeping Give your ratty old T-shirt and sweats the night off.
—Sarah Madaus, SELF, 22 Oct. 2024
The Best Pajamas for Lounging and Sleeping Give your ratty old T-shirt and sweats the night off.
17 of the Highest Rated Sheet Sets on Amazon Under $40
Snuggle up.
—Malia Griggs, SELF, 18 Oct. 2024
The room looks appropriately ratty: the floor is scuffed, the radiator covered in thick grime, and someone seems to have started, with impatient streaks, to paint one of the walls.
—Benjamin Moser, The New Yorker, 8 Oct. 2024
See All Example Sentences for ratty
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ratty
Adjective
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That sounds logical, but a healthy housing market needs some extra properties to account for old or dilapidated homes that are demolished or taken out of use – not to mention some vacancies so people can move around.—
Andrea Riquier,
USA TODAY,
14 Feb. 2025
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The hotel is founded and managed by locals, who transformed a dilapidated bed-and-breakfast into a six-acre luxury hotel in 2001.—
Maya Kachroo-Levine,
Travel + Leisure,
10 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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The other traditional party, the Liberal Party, has splintered between those who remain loyal to Zelaya and those who led the coup, including Mauricio Villeda, the presidential candidate who leads a tattered vestige of his party.—
Dana Frank,
Foreign Affairs,
22 Nov. 2013
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What if standing up to Trump is the very thing that saves the Liberal Party, and Trudeau’s tattered legacy?—
Talib Visram,
TIME,
7 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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Cold exposure is particularly helpful for those who have irritable skin through the constriction of blood vessels, alleviating swelling and flushes.—
Lucy Notarantonio,
Newsweek,
24 Feb. 2025
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The elderly single mom, played with an irritable, bone-deep bitterness by Irish actor Fiona Shaw, has spent the past few years paralyzed by an illness no one can diagnose.—
Peter Debruge,
Variety,
14 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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As holidays go, however, Flag Day can feel a bit lame.—
Kevin Fisher-Paulson,
San Francisco Chronicle,
8 June 2021
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My 11-year-old loved watching the pups roll balls and play a giant floor piano, but for non-dog owners (guilty as charged), parts of the series—like dressing dogs in little hats and outfits for a Parisian fashion show—feel lame.—
Tim Neville,
Outside Online,
23 Nov. 2020
Adjective
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This was to help end the puppy mill industry, where dogs are bred en masse, leading them to be born and raised in filthy and neglected conditions.—
Andrew Sheeler,
Sacramento Bee,
12 Feb. 2025
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If coordinated correctly, Trump’s tariff threats offer an enormous opportunity for America’s neglected waterfront.—
Craig Hooper,
Forbes,
17 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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Doncic had a ragged shooting night, making 6 of 17 field goal attempts and 1 for 7 from 3-point range.—
Jim Alexander,
Orange County Register,
26 Feb. 2025
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Put all those elements together and Spurs are suddenly a very different prospect from the exhausted, ragged group that trudged from game to game not very long ago.—
Jack Pitt-Brooke,
The Athletic,
24 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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James said Costco is more interested in providing a good value to its customers than a cheap price.—
Nicolas Vega,
CNBC,
26 Feb. 2025
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While the private business wealth transfer is well over trillions of dollars, numerous startups are adding value for selling owners and prospective buyers that are cheaper and more efficient than a traditional broker and go beyond a standard classified ad posting.—
Rocio Wu,
Forbes,
26 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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Gray and faded whiskers may be changed to their natural color and even brown or black by using Buckingham dye – try it.—
Contributed Content,
Twin Cities,
7 Feb. 2025
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Groom indoor foliage to remove old leaves, faded flowers and declining portions.—
Tom MacCubbin,
Orlando Sentinel,
1 Feb. 2025
Articles Related to ratty
Cite this Entry
“Ratty.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ratty. Accessed 13 Mar. 2025.
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