threadbare
Americanadjective
-
having the nap worn off so as to lay bare the threads of the warp and woof, as a fabric, garment, etc.
-
wearing threadbare clothes; shabby or poor.
a threadbare old man.
-
meager, scanty, or poor.
a threadbare emotional life.
-
hackneyed; trite; ineffectively stale.
threadbare arguments.
adjective
-
(of cloth, clothing, etc) having the nap worn off so that the threads are exposed
-
meagre or poor
a threadbare existence
-
hackneyed
a threadbare argument
-
wearing threadbare clothes; shabby
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of threadbare
First recorded in 1325–75, threadbare is from the Middle English word thredbare. See thread, bare 1
Explanation
Those jeans you wear every day that have holes in the knees and thin patches in the rear? They're threadbare. Threadbare means "thin from overuse." Furniture, clothing, or a rug is threadbare if the fabric is thin and worn through. If your father tells the same jokes over and over again, you might accuse him of having a threadbare sense of humor. A friend who chooses to live a threadbare lifestyle doesn't have a lot of things, and what they do have is not in the best of shape. When you see this word, picture your childhood stuffed animal with the fur rubbed thin from too much cuddling.
Vocabulary lists containing threadbare
The Vocabulary.com Top 1000
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!
The Great Gatsby
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!
List 4
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.
Towering over the threadbare lawn, Omeltchenko worked on what was the seat of the regional administration -- an imposing white stone Stalinist-era building almost completely razed by Russian strikes last year.
From Barron's ● Oct. 30, 2026
But her old sofa is threadbare, and she no longer has to worry about pets ruining her furniture, so she is ready for an upgrade.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 5, 2026
Although England won the fourth Test in Melbourne, their first win in Australia for 14 years, their performances elsewhere were abject – a threadbare squad left ill-prepared for the demands of a tour down under.
From BBC ● Jul. 12, 2026
Both Hole’s Courtney Love and Babes in Toyland’s Kat Bjelland claimed to be the first to perform in vintage, threadbare dresses with Peter Pan collars and puff sleeves, accessorized with knee socks and Mary Janes.
From Salon ● Jun. 12, 2026
On the topmost shelf, above a rail of threadbare clothes, a small cardboard box was shaking and rattling as though there were several frantic mice trapped inside it.
From "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince" by J.K. Rowling
Random Word
Spin the wheel and learn a new word!
Get a wordDefinitions 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.
