tatty

adjective

tat·​ty ˈta-tē How to pronounce tatty (audio)
tattier; tattiest
Synonyms of tatty
: rather worn, frayed, or dilapidated : shabby
a tatty shirt
tattiness
ˈta-tē-nəs How to pronounce tatty (audio)
noun

Synonyms of tatty

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Examples of tatty in a Sentence

the owner has let the restaurant become increasingly tatty over the years
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The carpets were tatty; the meeting rooms were ill-equipped. — Sam Knight, New Yorker, 25 Aug. 2025 The coffee table had been painted black all over and looked rather tatty. — Alyce Collins, Newsweek, 24 Dec. 2024 Twenty-five years after construction, when materials get tatty and tastes change, is the danger time. — Kevin West, Travel + Leisure, 16 July 2025 Dings, dents, and tatty old stickers are seen as badges of honor, battle scars from a hectic life as an international jet-setter. — Chris Haslam, Wired News, 1 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for tatty

Word History

Etymology

perhaps akin to Old English tætteca rag — more at tatter

First Known Use

1513, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of tatty was in 1513

Rhymes for tatty

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Browse Nearby Words

tatts
tatty
tatu
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Cite this Entry

“Tatty.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tatty. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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