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Synonyms

dog-eared

American  
[dawg-eerd, dog-] / ˈdɔgˌɪərd, ˈdɒg- /
Or dogeared

adjective

  1. having dog-ears.

    a dog-eared book.

  2. shabby; worn.

    dog-eared furniture.


dog-eared British  

adjective

  1. having dog-ears

  2. shabby or worn

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of dog-eared

First recorded in 1775–85

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

If journalism is the first draft of history, documentary filmmaking is often an overdue, dog-eared galley proof with no cover art.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 25, 2025

Under President Biden’s Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland, the first Native American to hold the post, the bureau’s dog-eared script has acquired a few edits.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 24, 2023

He read and dog-eared a copy of Dr. Raymond DePaulo’s “Understanding Depression.”

From New York Times • Mar. 31, 2023

She scanned the page I had dog-eared and let out a tired sigh.

From Salon • Feb. 13, 2023

“He got to page one thirty-two,” Michael said, thinking of the dog-eared page.

From "The First State of Being" by Erin Entrada Kelly