ratty

adjective

rat·​ty ˈra-tē How to pronounce ratty (audio)
rattier; rattiest
Synonyms of ratty
1
a
: infested with rats
b
: of, relating to, or suggestive of a rat
2
: shabby, unkempt
… a ratty brown overcoat …—John Lardner
3
a
: despicable, treacherous
b
: irritable
… feeling ratty as hell …—Richard Bissell

Synonyms of ratty

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Examples of ratty in a Sentence

Those shoes are getting pretty ratty. some ratty old magazines were the only reading material in the mountaintop cabin
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.
How do two middle-class lads in ratty threads, who might very well have both been played by Robert Pattinson, fast-track an appointment with Jesus? — Gabriel Szatan, Pitchfork, 18 Oct. 2026 Chicago has ranked first on Orkin’s list of America’s rattiest cities every year since the list began, 10 straight years as of 2024. — Catherina Gioino, Fortune, 13 Oct. 2026 No less slippery are his matinée-idol looks, which can turn wolfish or ratty on a dime, as if his beauty were moldering away from within. — Justin Chang, New Yorker, 25 Sep. 2026 Then Leigh noticed a skinny guy clad in a ratty Daniel Johnston T-shirt, his hair a feral mess. — Josephine Reisman, Vulture, 24 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for ratty

Word History

First Known Use

1865, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of ratty was in 1865

Rhymes for ratty

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Browse Nearby Words

rattrap pedal
ratty
Ratufa
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Cite this Entry

“Ratty.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ratty. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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Kids Definition

ratty

adjective
rat·​ty ˈrat-ē How to pronounce ratty (audio)
rattier; rattiest
1
a
: full of rats
ratty dockside warehouses
b
: of or relating to rats
2
: shabby sense 2a
a ratty old sweater
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