ragtag

adjective

rag·​tag ˈrag-ˌtag How to pronounce ragtag (audio)
1
2
: motley sense 2
a ragtag bunch of misfits

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Breaking Down Ragtag

Tag and rag was a relatively common expression in the 16th and 17th centuries, and it was often used pejoratively to refer to members of the lower classes of society. By the 18th century, the phrase had been expanded to ragtag and bobtail. That expression could mean either "the lower classes" or "the entire lot of something" (as opposed to just the more desirable parts—the entire unit of an army, for example, not just its more capable soldiers). Something described as ragtag and bobtail, then, was usually common and unspectacular. Ragtag and bobtail was eventually shortened to ragtag, the adjective we know today, which can describe an odd mixture that is often hastily assembled or second-rate.

Examples of ragtag in a Sentence

a ragtag group of musicians the team was a ragtag bunch who had only one thing in common: a lack of skill
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.
The characters, or Followers, are a properly ragtag bunch. Josh Broadwell, Rolling Stone, 11 Oct. 2024 For the past four years, he’s starred as Pope Heyward, the brains of a ragtag team of treasure hunters and best friends on the coast of North Caroline, in Netflix’s teen drama series, Outer Banks. Jason Pham, StyleCaster, 10 Oct. 2024 Blanchett portrayed an infamous bounty hunter who forms an unlikely alliance with a ragtag team of misfits while on a quest to find the missing daughter of the most powerful man in the universe. Sarah Whitten, CNBC, 18 Oct. 2024 The film follows a ragtag team of vigilante Redditors who, after losing everything in a cryptocurrency scam, attempt to track down and kidnap the elusive crypto empire kingpin responsible for their sudden financial ruin. Katcy Stephan, Variety, 9 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for ragtag 

Word History

Etymology

ragtag and bobtail

First Known Use

1865, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of ragtag was in 1865

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Cite this Entry

“Ragtag.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ragtag. Accessed 22 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

ragtag

adjective
rag·​tag ˈrag-ˌtag How to pronounce ragtag (audio)

More from Merriam-Webster on ragtag

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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