raggedy
Americanadjective
adjective
Etymology
Origin of raggedy
Explanation
If something's raggedy, it's been used so much that it's starting to fall apart or become shabby. Face it, it's time to throw away that raggedy old sweater — it's full of holes! Raggedy is used for beat up, tattered clothing, but it can also describe anything that's scruffy or unkempt. There's your older brother's raggedy beard, that raggedy patch of lawn that refuses to grow grass, or the raggedy teddy bear you've had since you were a baby and can't bear to part with. Raggedy started as 19th-century Southern slang, and in 1913 it was used to name the popular Raggedy Ann doll.
Vocabulary lists containing raggedy
Dog Squad
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
After Tupac and D Foster
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Vocabulary from Readings 2, Unit 1
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
But in a deliberately raggedy film, we find a raggedy man.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 24, 2026
I had a golf tee time booked for Thursday afternoon at Wilson Golf Course, a beloved if sometimes raggedy course that the city runs in Griffith Park, near me.
From Slate ● Jan. 9, 2025
The “Cry Me a River” video captures the L.A. rapper flopping around in a raggedy tent adjoining a rail yard.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 28, 2024
He said one part was warm water, another was that the winds — moving in the right direction and at the right altitude — allowed a somewhat raggedy storm to rapidly develop structure and strengthen.
From Seattle Times ● Oct. 25, 2023
“This sweetness just at the raggedy end of winter!”
From "The Birchbark House" by Louise Erdrich
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
