ratty

[ rat-ee ]

/ ˈræt i /

Save This Word!

See synonyms for ratty on Thesaurus.com

adjective, rat·ti·er, rat·ti·est.

full of rats.

of or characteristic of a rat.

wretched; shabby: a ratty, old overcoat.

Slang. irritable or angry; bad-tempered; nasty: I always feel ratty when I wake up.

QUIZ

ARE YOU A TRUE BLUE CHAMPION OF THESE "BLUE" SYNONYMS?

We could talk until we're blue in the face about this quiz on words for the color "blue," but we think you should take the quiz and find out if you're a whiz at these colorful terms.

Question 1 of 8

Which of the following words describes “sky blue”?

navy

beryl

azure

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Meet Grammar Coach

Write or paste your essay, email, or story into Grammar Coach and get grammar help

Improve Your Writing

Meet Grammar CoachImprove Your Writing

Origin of ratty

First recorded in 1860–65; rat + -y¹

Words nearby ratty

rattling, rattly, ratton, rattoon, rattrap, ratty, Ratushinskaya, Rau, raucous, raunch, raunchy

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2021

How to use ratty in a sentence

Whatever the politicians decide, the science of us has come a long way from Watson and Rayner instilling ratty fears in an unsuspecting infant.
Psychology has struggled for a century to make sense of the mind|Bruce Bower|August 11, 2021|Science News
I honestly can’t remember which manner of ratty Amazon bargain bin chair I had held onto for the last several years, but a month or two into this, I rolled it into the donation pile.
Gift Guide: 7 great gifts for anyone working from home|Brian Heater|November 23, 2020|TechCrunch
Because, for me, the idea of the regal Diane in the ratty warehouse digs is positively tantalizing.
‘The Good Wife’ Creators on the Premiere’s Big Cary Twist, Will’s Death, and More|Kevin Fallon|September 22, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The king got out an old ratty deck of cards after breakfast, and him and the duke played seven-up a while, five cents a game.
Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Complete|Mark Twain (Samuel Clemens)

Ratty made no answer—his blood began to cool—he became every moment more sensible that he had received heavy blows.
Handy Andy, Volume 2 (of 2)|Samuel Lover
I knew wed be sorry if ever we tried stopping over at one of these ratty little towns, muttered George.
Motor Boat Boys Down the Danube|Louis Arundel
Muskrats I had no sympathy for, they looked so ratty, and had so unpleasant a smell.
Riverby|John Burroughs
Curfoot, one lank knee over the other, swung his foot thoughtfully to and fro, his ratty eyes lost in dreamy revery.
The Dark Star|Robert W. Chambers

British Dictionary definitions for ratty

ratty

/ (ˈrætɪ) /

adjective -tier or -tiest

British and NZ informal irritable; annoyed

informal (of the hair) unkempt or greasy

US and Canadian slang shabby; dilapidated

Australian slang

angry
mad

of, like, or full of rats

Derived forms of ratty

rattily, adverbrattiness, noun

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

ratty

Origin of ratty

Words nearby ratty

Words related to ratty

How to use ratty in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for ratty

Derived forms of ratty