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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in tattered
worn or torn into or as if into rags
finally convinced her to throw away her favorite pair of jeans, ragged from years of yard work
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in uneven
not having a level or smooth surface
she cut herself on the ragged edge of the tin can's lid
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in scolded
to criticize (someone) severely or angrily especially for personal failings
several readers called in to rag the editor for his paper's repeated grammatical lapses
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of ragged
Trevor Hughes, USA Today, 7 May 2025
Musk: Tesla not on ‘ragged edge of death’ Musk dismisses the idea that the company is in any serious financial distress.
—Chris Isidore, CNN Money, 28 Apr. 2025
Cocker was famous for his ragged, one-of-a-kind covers of other acts’ famous songs, with Joel comparing the late singer to such legendary song interpreters as Frank Sinatra.
—Gil Kaufman, Billboard, 1 Apr. 2025
Grand Canyon didn’t do enough to punish Maryland for its ragged start.
—Baltimore Sun Staff, Baltimore Sun, 21 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for ragged
Adjective
The square of white cloth was about to be sewn into a bigger pieces displaying political messages, but the ragged edges didn't neatly line up with the other pieces.
—Trevor Hughes, USA Today, 7 May 2025
Musk: Tesla not on ‘ragged edge of death’ Musk dismisses the idea that the company is in any serious financial distress.
—Chris Isidore, CNN Money, 28 Apr. 2025
Cocker was famous for his ragged, one-of-a-kind covers of other acts’ famous songs, with Joel comparing the late singer to such legendary song interpreters as Frank Sinatra.
—Gil Kaufman, Billboard, 1 Apr. 2025
Grand Canyon didn’t do enough to punish Maryland for its ragged start.
—Baltimore Sun Staff, Baltimore Sun, 21 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for ragged
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ragged
Adjective
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Sandwiched between the ocean and the Oregon Coast Range, U.S. Route 101 traces the state’s entire coastline, with wide beaches and jagged sea stacks on one side of the road and thickets of evergreen forest on the other.—
Chloe Arrojado,
AFAR Media,
17 June 2025
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While icebergs and rocky shorelines dominate the Antarctic coastline that cruise ships navigate, the heart of the continent is another world, one of shimmering blue ice tunnels and crevasses, jagged mountain peaks, and vast moonscapes.—
Chloe Berge,
Outside Online,
17 June 2025
Adjective
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And then, in close-up, a bulldozer turns over rubble, and a family photograph is glimpsed in the debris, a tattered symbol of what has been lost.—
Catherine Bray,
Variety,
25 May 2025
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Its tattered and faded copy of the Magna Carta is worth millions of dollars, Carpenter estimated—though Harvard has no plans to sell it.—
Shane Croucher,
MSNBC Newsweek,
15 May 2025
Adjective
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Avoid wobbly or uneven fittings to keep everything centered.—
Elizabeth Fogarty,
Better Homes & Gardens,
15 June 2025
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That means Juno’s radio transmissions will experience the Doppler effect, where the wavelength shifts slightly in response to Io’s uneven gravitational field.—
Robin Andrews,
Wired News,
15 June 2025
Adjective
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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
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Some geckos have higher contrast in their coloring, while others appear more faded.—
Aspen Pflughoeft,
Miami Herald,
4 June 2025
Adjective
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The Creag is a short walk away from the Highlands clubhouse and draws its inspiration, as does much of the resort, from the rugged Scottish highlands.—
Mike Fore,
Forbes.com,
20 June 2025
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Trent Frederic is another player who brings a rugged style to the game and can play all three forward positions.—
Allan Mitchell,
New York Times,
20 June 2025
Adjective
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More Getty Images Clark, the 2023 U.S. Open champion, had a rough week.—
Devlina Sarkar,
MSNBC Newsweek,
15 June 2025
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Everyone plodded along, trying desperately to avoid rough that hasn’t been cut and greens that never seem to lose their speed.—
Doug Ferguson,
Los Angeles Times,
15 June 2025
Adjective
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There is a broken down vehicle on I-670 between I-70 (West) and Central Avenue/Exit 1A.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
14 June 2025
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Plenty of bro love fills that gap in the serviceable sequel, which teams action-hero CPA Christian (Ben Affleck) with his hitman sibling Braxton (Jon Bernthal) to solve a mystery involving a broken family and human trafficking.—
Brian Truitt,
USA Today,
14 June 2025
Verb
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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
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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
Cite this Entry
“Ragged.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ragged. Accessed 24 Jun. 2025.
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