1
: roughly unkempt
2
: having an irregular edge or outline
3
a
: torn or worn to tatters
b
: worn-out from stress and strain
ran herself ragged
4
: wearing tattered clothes
raggedly
adverb
raggedness
noun
Examples of ragged in a Sentence
a boy in ragged jeans
You look a little ragged—did you have a rough week?
Recent Examples on the Web
Use clean, sharp pruners to cut a smooth edge right above a living bud, lateral branch, or along the trunk where there is a ragged break.
—
Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 18 Feb. 2026
In the absence of pro hoops, ABC found itself with a ragged hole in its Sunday afternoon schedule, which an exec named Dick Button proposed to fill by way of a new show titled The Superstars.
—Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 16 Feb. 2026
Others are worried the course will become a ragged field of weeds within weeks that could increase wildfire risk or attract homeless encampments.
—David Garrick, San Diego Union-Tribune, 11 Feb. 2026
The chopper flew upwards, up beyond the treeline, stopping to idle between the small ragged peak of one mountain and the rocky face of another.
—Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 8 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for ragged
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Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 18 Feb. 2026
In the absence of pro hoops, ABC found itself with a ragged hole in its Sunday afternoon schedule, which an exec named Dick Button proposed to fill by way of a new show titled The Superstars.
—Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 16 Feb. 2026
Others are worried the course will become a ragged field of weeds within weeks that could increase wildfire risk or attract homeless encampments.
—David Garrick, San Diego Union-Tribune, 11 Feb. 2026
The chopper flew upwards, up beyond the treeline, stopping to idle between the small ragged peak of one mountain and the rocky face of another.
—Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 8 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for ragged
Cite this Entry
“Ragged.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ragged. Accessed 26 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
ragged
adjective
rag·ged
ˈrag-əd 
1
: having a rough or uneven edge or outline
ragged cliffs
2
a
: torn or worn to or as if to tatters
a ragged dress
b
: wearing tattered clothes
a ragged child
3
: done in an uneven way
a ragged performance
raggedly
adverb
raggedness
noun
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