Standard Lemma guide

ragged

adj · verb · 13 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • răg'ĭd
  • /ˈɹæɡɪd/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • rhymes with -æɡɪd
  • răgd
  • /ɹæɡd/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • rhymes with -æɡd
  • CMU ARPABET: R AE1 G AH0 D Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

adj

Meaning 1

In tatters, having the texture broken.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • a ragged coat
  • a ragged sail

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

adj

Meaning 2

Having rough edges; jagged or uneven

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • ragged rocks

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

adj

Meaning 3

Harsh-sounding; having an unpleasant noise

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

adj

Meaning 4

Wearing tattered clothes.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • a ragged person

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

5

adj

Meaning 5

Rough; shaggy; rugged.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

6

adj

Meaning 6

Faulty; lacking in skill, reliability, or organization.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

7

adj

Meaning 7

Performed in a syncopated manner, especially in ragtime.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: entertainment, lifestyle, music

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

8

adj

Meaning 8

Of a data structure: having uneven levels.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: computing, engineering, mathematics, natural-sciences, physical-sciences, sciences

Examples

  • a ragged hierarchy
  • a ragged array, consisting of a number of arrays of varying size

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: jagged

Antonyms: none provided

9

adj

Meaning 9

Not justified; having an uneven vertical margin.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: media, publishing, typography

Examples

  • Newspaper columns should never be set ragged.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

10

verb

Meaning 10

simple past and past participle of rag

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: form-of, participle, past

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

11

adjective satellite

Meaning 11

having an irregular outline

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • text set with ragged right margins
  • herded the class into a ragged line

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

12

adjective satellite

Meaning 12

worn out from stress or strain

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • run ragged

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

13

adjective satellite

Meaning 13

being or dressed in clothes that are worn or torn

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • clothes as ragged as a scarecrow's
  • a ragged tramp

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

From Middle English ragged, from North Germanic. Compare with Old Norse rǫgvaðr (“tufted”) and Norwegian ragget (“shaggy”).

See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form.

Across languages

Translations

69 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Azerbaijani: cırıq — rent or worn into tatters, or till the texture is broken
  • Bulgarian: парцалив (parcaliv) — rent or worn into tatters, or till the texture is broken
  • Bulgarian: дрипав (dripav) — rent or worn into tatters, or till the texture is broken
  • Czech: potrhaný — rent or worn into tatters, or till the texture is broken
  • Finnish: rähjäinen — rent or worn into tatters, or till the texture is broken
  • French: en lambeaux — rent or worn into tatters, or till the texture is broken
  • French: déguenillé — rent or worn into tatters, or till the texture is broken
  • Ancient Greek: ῥάκινος (rhákinos) — rent or worn into tatters, or till the texture is broken
  • Ancient Greek: τρύχινος (trúkhinos) — rent or worn into tatters, or till the texture is broken
  • Ancient Greek: ῥακώδης (rhakṓdēs) — rent or worn into tatters, or till the texture is broken
  • Ido: ragoza — rent or worn into tatters, or till the texture is broken
  • Irish: ceamach — rent or worn into tatters, or till the texture is broken
  • Italian: logoro — rent or worn into tatters, or till the texture is broken
  • Italian: stracciato — rent or worn into tatters, or till the texture is broken
  • Italian: a brandelli — rent or worn into tatters, or till the texture is broken
  • Latin: pannūceus — rent or worn into tatters, or till the texture is broken
  • Māori: hīraurau — rent or worn into tatters, or till the texture is broken
  • Māori: taretare — rent or worn into tatters, or till the texture is broken
  • Norman: déguenilyi — rent or worn into tatters, or till the texture is broken
  • Persian: ژنده (žende) — rent or worn into tatters, or till the texture is broken
  • Persian: مندرس (mondares) — rent or worn into tatters, or till the texture is broken
  • Plautdietsch: lunsich — rent or worn into tatters, or till the texture is broken
  • Portuguese: esfarrapado — rent or worn into tatters, or till the texture is broken
  • Quechua: chhachu — rent or worn into tatters, or till the texture is broken
  • Russian: рва́ный (rványj) — rent or worn into tatters, or till the texture is broken
  • Russian: изо́рванный (izórvannyj) — rent or worn into tatters, or till the texture is broken
  • Russian: обо́рванный (obórvannyj) — rent or worn into tatters, or till the texture is broken
  • Scottish Gaelic: giobach — rent or worn into tatters, or till the texture is broken
  • Spanish: andrajoso — rent or worn into tatters, or till the texture is broken
  • Spanish: ajado — rent or worn into tatters, or till the texture is broken
  • Bulgarian: накъсан (nakǎsan) — broken with rough edges
  • Czech: členitý — broken with rough edges
  • Esperanto: malglata — broken with rough edges
  • Finnish: epätasainen — broken with rough edges
  • Finnish: rosoinen — broken with rough edges
  • Ancient Greek: ῥωγαλέος (rhōgaléos) — broken with rough edges
  • Italian: frastagliato — broken with rough edges
  • Russian: зазу́бренный (zazúbrennyj) — broken with rough edges
  • Russian: неро́вный (neróvnyj) — broken with rough edges
  • Russian: шерохова́тый (šeroxovátyj) — broken with rough edges
  • Russian: пересечённый (peresečónnyj) — broken with rough edges
  • Russian: изре́занный (izrézannyj) — broken with rough edges
  • Italian: stridente — harsh and disagreeable to the ear
  • Russian: ре́зкий (rézkij) — harsh and disagreeable to the ear
  • Bulgarian: дрипав (dripav) — wearing tattered clothes
  • Czech: otrhaný — wearing tattered clothes
  • Dutch: haveloos — wearing tattered clothes
  • Finnish: rähjäinen — wearing tattered clothes
  • Finnish: ryysyinen — wearing tattered clothes
  • French: enguenillé — wearing tattered clothes
  • Italian: straccione — wearing tattered clothes
  • Italian: cencioso — wearing tattered clothes
  • Italian: vestito di stracci — wearing tattered clothes
  • Russian: обо́рванный (obórvannyj) — wearing tattered clothes
  • Scottish Gaelic: giobach — wearing tattered clothes
  • Spanish: andrajoso — wearing tattered clothes
  • Spanish: harapiento — wearing tattered clothes
  • Spanish: trapajoso — wearing tattered clothes
  • Spanish: haraposo — wearing tattered clothes
  • Spanish: desarrapado — wearing tattered clothes
  • Spanish: astroso — wearing tattered clothes
  • Spanish: zarrapastroso — wearing tattered clothes
  • Spanish: zarrapastrón — wearing tattered clothes
  • Finnish: epätasainen — rough; shaggy; rugged
  • Finnish: rosoinen — rough; shaggy; rugged
  • Russian: косма́тый (kosmátyj) — rough; shaggy; rugged
  • Russian: мохна́тый (moxnátyj) — rough; shaggy; rugged
  • Russian: лохма́тый (loxmátyj) — rough; shaggy; rugged
  • Scottish Gaelic: giobach — rough; shaggy; rugged