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ragged

ragged

21 3.5
An uneven edge or outline that is not smooth
  • adjective
  • /ˈræɡɪd/
translation icon : irregular
  • The sun looks fractured now; the whole sky is cut up into ragged patches of gray and blue.

She drew in a long, ragged breath and whispered sevenfold.

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Examples

  • Of course, it's a little ragged now... ...but this once used to be the finest farm for miles.

  • The path was marked by a ragged line of rocks that twisted along the hillside.

  • The top of it got a little ragged, like maybe the wind took hold of it.

    Fiction book (1991)
  • You can see all the painted ends are ragged, so they cut them.

  • The theater's looking a little ragged on the outside, and the inside.

  • I've never seen such a ragged line.

  • The photograph functions both as a ragged document and as a relic of a lost civilization.

    Academic text (2014)
  • The light pointed ahead, reflected from the sharp, ragged walls, and disappeared into the darkness of the tunnel.

    Fiction book (1990)
  • In the north and west, ragged denim clouds piled against a light blue early evening sky.

    Fiction book (1990)
  • Bull calls up from below, where a ragged group of woodsmen lies nervously in ambush.

    Fiction book (1991)

Synonyms

uneven
vsragged
42 2.3

Not smooth or level, with parts higher and lower

focuses specifically on an irregular edge or outline rather than any variation
torn
vsragged
34 1.0

Having edges that are ripped and uneven

refers to an irregular outline itself without implying how it happened
jagged
vsragged
22 3.6

An edge or outline with rough, sharp points

is irregular in outline but not necessarily sharply pointed
raggedy
vsragged
  • Informal
12 4.0

Something that looks worn, torn, and messy

is about an irregular outline specifically, not a generally messy look
scraggly
vsragged
9 6.0

Thin and untidy in appearance, often with rough, uneven ends

refers to an irregular outline itself rather than thin or untidy form
frayed
vsragged
6 4.1

Cloth edges that are worn and have loose threads

describes an irregular outline without suggesting wear or fabric damage
scraggy
vsragged
6.7

Rough and uneven with many jagged edges

is about any irregular outline rather than a rugged, rough look
notchy
vsragged
7.9

A surface that feels rough because it has small bumps or cuts

means an irregular outline generally, not specifically marked by cuts or grooves
unfiled
vsragged
  • Specialized
5.6

Not smoothed with a tool, leaving rough or sharp edges

is the general irregular outline regardless of whether it was shaped
raggy
vsragged
4.2

Appears torn or worn, like old clothes with holes

describes an irregular edge without suggesting a worn or clothlike look

Antonyms

442 1.0

In a direct line without curves or bends

256 1.0

A surface that is even and not rough

57 1.0

Having parts that match in size and shape

Compounds

1 8.3

A flowering plant with pink, frilly petals that grows in damp meadows

An orchid from the eastern United States with greenish flowers and a deeply cut lip

8.7

A greenish wildflower that has a fringed, deeply cut lower petal and grows in the eastern United States

9.9

A small orchid from the eastern United States with greenish flowers and a fringed, deeply cut lip

How Smooth

smooth
256 1.0
uneven
42 2.3
ragged
21 3.5
jagged
22 3.6

Surface Forms

ragged positive
raggeder comparative
raggedest superlative

Morphology

ragged = rag (transparent) = rag + ed

Formed by 'rag' + '-ed' meaning 'having rags' or torn/worn, which directly explains uneven or irregular edges.

Etymology

Ragged comes from the simple word rag which means 'a torn piece of cloth'. A torn cloth has rough, uneven edges, so ragged is used for things with an 'uneven' or rough outline.