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raggedy

raggedy

12 4.0
Something that looks worn, torn, and messy
  • adjective
  • /ˈræɡədi/
  • Informal
translation icon : harapiento
  • Why, out along the highway, do you see a raggedy house trailer with chickens and toys in the yard?
  • raggedy old
  • raggedy clothes
  • raggedy dress

But it came out the other side and it was a raggedy looking thing.

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Examples

  • The children played in the streets wearing their raggedy clothes that had been patched many times.

  • I was looking so raggedy that like it was totally reasonable to me that she did not recognize me at all.

  • It's like, it's like a raggedy black dress.

  • But it came out the other side and it was a raggedy looking thing.

  • All you had to do was notice the raggedy clothes.

    Fiction book (1993)
  • I want to stay in my little old raggedy house.

    Fiction book (1994)
  • This is a raggedy neighborhood.

  • He was kind of raggedy and wild.

  • You standing there in those raggedy old clothes looks like a scarecrow.

    Fiction book (2002)
  • Somebody in a raggedy dress, the hem dragging in the mud.

    Fiction book (1992)

Synonyms

messy
vsraggedy
233 1.0

Not tidy or clean, with things in the wrong place

adds ripped, worn, or rough visual features beyond mere disorder
sloppy
vsraggedy
155 2.0

Untidy and done without care

refers more to worn, ripped, or rough looks than careless disorder
torn
vsraggedy
34 1.0

Having edges that are ripped and uneven

is broader, covering general old, shabby, or rough looks beyond ripping
mangy
vsraggedy
  • Offensive
28 6.5

Worn and dirty, in bad condition

lacks the disease-like suggestion and focuses on rough or ripped look
dingy
vsraggedy
23 4.6

Dark and dirty so it does not look bright

implies worn, ripped, or uneven roughness rather than only dullness
ratty
vsraggedy
  • Informal
19 5.4

Looking worn and dirty from use

emphasizes ripped or uneven rough look more than simple dirtiness
ragged
vsraggedy
16 3.2

Old, torn clothes that are in poor condition

is about general rough or shabby appearance rather than clothing alone
untidy
vsraggedy
11 1.0

Not neat, with things like papers or clothes left around

adds old, ripped, or rough condition beyond simple disorder
scraggly
vsraggedy
9 6.0

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

is more about being worn out or ripped than just thin disorder
frayed
vsraggedy
6 4.1

Cloth edges that are worn and have loose threads

is more general, meaning whole rough or shabby appearance not just edges
cruddy
vsraggedy
  • Informal
4 6.0

Dirty and not good quality

focuses more on rough ripped or shabby appearance rather than poor quality
bedraggled
vsraggedy
4 7.0

Dirty and untidy, often wet after being in rain or mud

lacks the wetness focus and stresses old, ripped, or rough appearance
tattered
vsraggedy
4 4.1

Old and torn clothes or fabric with loose threads

is more general, meaning worn or shabby rather than only ripped
flea-bitten
vsraggedy
  • Archaic
2 7.8

Old and in bad condition from use and poor care

is broader, indicating rough or uneven appearance beyond mere shabbiness
grotty
vsraggedy
  • UK
2 8.4

Looks dirty and unpleasant, often like a shabby room or shop

is more about ripped, rough, or uneven looks than overall squalor
tatty
vsraggedy
  • UK
2 6.0

Worn and in poor condition because of age or heavy use

is more about ripped or uneven roughness rather than only shabby
scroungy
vsraggedy
  • UK
1 7.7

Dirty and untidy in appearance

adds the idea of being ripped or rough rather than only dirty
raggy
vsraggedy
4.2

Appears torn or worn, like old clothes with holes

is broader, describing rough or shabby appearance not only clothlike looks
raggie
vsraggedy
  • UK
9.9

Having old torn clothes and looking untidy

is similar but used broadly, not marked as informal speech
tatterdemalion
vsraggedy
  • Archaic
9.9

Wearing old, torn, and dirty clothes

is broader, describing rough or shabby appearance beyond clothing alone
shreddy
vsraggedy
7.2

Cloth with loose torn threads and a ragged, worn look

is less extreme, meaning worn or rough rather than many small ripped pieces
scraggy
vsraggedy
6.7

Rough and uneven with many jagged edges

is similar but emphasizes old, worn, or shabby condition rather than shapes
dingly
vsraggedy
  • UK
9.2

Small and a little worn but with a cozy charm

is rougher and more worn, lacking the mild charm or coziness
matty
vsraggedy
8.2

Having hair or fabric that is messy and stuck together in clumps

emphasizes worn, ripped, or rough look rather than mere disorder
trampy
vsraggedy
  • Offensive
8.6

Looking dirty and untidy like someone who lives on the streets

is about old, ripped, or rough appearance rather than specific vagrant resemblance

Antonyms

47 1.0

Having things in order with no mess

9 3.5

Neat and tidy in appearance with clean clothes and neat hair

Compounds

raggedy-ass shirt
  • Offensive
9.4

An old torn shirt with holes that looks very shabby

How Ragged

tattered
1 4.5
threadbare
7 6.6
raggedy
  • Informal
12 4.0
shabby
33 2.5
scruffy
23 3.8

Surface Forms

raggedy positive
raggedier comparative
raggediest superlative

Morphology

raggedy = ragged (transparent) = ragged + y

Formed from the adjective 'ragged' with the productive adjectival suffix '-y', so the meaning is directly the quality of being ragged.

Etymology

The word raggedy comes from the simple word rag, which means 'a torn piece of cloth', plus the ending -y that means 'full of' or 'having'. So, raggedy is like being 'full of rags' and therefore means 'torn, worn, or messy'.