riddled

American  

[rid-ld] / ˈrɪd ld /

adjective

1. filled with, and often thoroughly weakened by, something undesirable (used in combination).

   For decades taxpayers subsidized this fault-riddled nuclear plant, with its defective reactors and substandard construction.

2. pierced in many places (usually used in combination).

   His bullet-riddled body was found two days later.

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verb

1. the simple past tense and past participle of riddle.

Etymology

Origin of riddled

riddle ² ( def. ) + -ed ² ( def. )

Example Sentences

It’s a path riddled with uncertainty that water managers in both camps say they hope to avoid.

From Los Angeles Times

Walk through downtown and you’ll see a raft of vacant storefronts and empty office buildings riddled with graffiti.

From The Wall Street Journal

Haiti, the poorest country in the Americas, is riddled with poverty and gang violence against a backdrop of political instability and extremely weak government.

From Barron's

Drivers in England will be able to see how local authorities are tackling roads riddled with potholes via a new mapping tool and traffic light rating system.

From BBC

AI has a somewhat dubious reputation in the legal world, where lawyers in recent months have drawn ridicule and reprimand for submitting briefs riddled with citations to fictional cases and factual errors.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• addled
• ruined
• withered