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. )

Explanation

If an object is riddled with something, that means it's covered by that thing: for example, a tree trunk might be riddled with tiny holes made by the beaks of woodpeckers. The adjective riddled most often describes something damaged by or spread full of holes, like a rusty old mailbox riddled with bullet holes or a block of Swiss cheese riddled with holes. You can also use it figuratively: "It's so sad, her dog is riddled with cancer," or "The plot of your novel is riddled with holes — it just doesn't hold up." Riddled comes from the Old English hriddel, "sieve."

Example Sentences

Its international airport — which only recently reopened — has the remains of propeller planes carelessly tossed to the side of the runway, their bodies riddled with bullet holes and their wings askew.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 12, 2026

The 47-year-old said it meant that by the time she was diagnosed she was "literally riddled" with the disease.

From BBC • Mar. 23, 2026

“It’s not that we don’t accept the results from Healthy Florida First because we don’t like them, but because they are highly suspect and riddled with errors,” she said.

From Salon • Mar. 20, 2026

Though there are many constitutional issues that courts can grant relief on—and both Wood and Burton’s cases are riddled with them—clemency is the only possible mechanism to correct the particular injustice of disproportionate death sentences.

From Slate • Mar. 6, 2026

Frank looked down and saw the airstrip riddled with craters like a piece of burning Swiss cheese.

From "The Son of Neptune" by Rick Riordan

Related Words

• addled
• ruined
• withered