tatter 1 of 2

verb

ˈta-tər How to pronounce tatter (audio)
Definition of tatternext
as in to tear
to cause (something) to separate into jagged pieces by violently pulling at it the little boy tattered that blanket beyond repair by repeatedly yanking on it

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

tatter

2 of 2

noun

as in shred

Related Words

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of tatter
Verb
Coming down that highway, one’s arrival was confirmed by a row of flag poles holding international flags, tattered and generally ignored. — Nathan Taylor Pemberton, New York Times, 20 Jan. 2020 So where did Ransom’s tattered cozy knit end up after filming wrapped? — Ale Russian, PEOPLE.com, 26 Dec. 2019
Noun
Their pitching staff then turned to tatters, heightening the importance of an offense that must mask it. Including Tucker, seven of Houston’s qualified hitters finished the first half with an OPS+ of 100 or higher. — Chandler Rome, The Athletic, 15 July 2024 Rourke himself approached the street at this hour in suave array and manic tatters. — Kevin Barry, Harper's Magazine, 2 July 2024 See All Example Sentences for tatter
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tatter
  1. tear
  2. shred
  3. rip
  4. fragment
  5. remnant
  6. fraction
  7. scrap
  8. piece
Verb
  • Veteran Jamal Adams tore his quad in the team’s first preseason game, and undrafted rookie Jacob Thomas sprained his ankle in the final preseason game.
    — Alec Lewis, New York Times, 2 Sep. 2026
  • Either way, Watson heads into the new campaign – his first regular-season play since tearing his Achilles in 2024 – with an immense amount of pressure.
    — Scott Thompson OutKick, FOXNews.com, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of tear
Noun
  • Some of these cabinet members have even maintained, without a shred of evidence, that Syria’s president, the former jihadist Ahmed al-Shara, is preparing to attack Israel.
    — Amos Harel, Foreign Affairs, 2 Sep. 2026
  • But Michael Sanft, Davis’ defense lawyer, argued that the prosecution had no forensics, no eyewitness and not a single shred of physical evidence placing Davis in the Cadillac with the shooter.
    — Richard Winton, Los Angeles Times, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of shred
Verb
  • Drops railway temperatures To prevent high-speed aerodynamic forces from ripping the heat shields off, researchers secured the magnetic strips with dual mechanical fasteners.
    — Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 2 Sep. 2026
  • Videos captured flames ripping through the Chez Gado-Gado restaurant in the Seminyak resort area during the incident Sunday, which left an Australian teenager hospitalized with burns, according to 7News.
    — Greg Norman-Diamond, FOXNews.com, 2 Sep. 2026
Definition of rip
Noun
  • Phase 2 begins when the fragment reaches denser air, and the meteor begins to brighten.
    — Robert Lea, Space.com, 1 Sep. 2026
  • As the novel proceeds, these fragments gradually accumulate, and a whole social world emerges, a thicket of personal connections and memories.
    — Cynthia Zarin, Harpers Magazine, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of fragment
Noun
  • Dolly's remnants also bringing rain Elsewhere, the hurricane center is keeping an eye on whether the remnants of Tropical Storm Dolly could develop again.
    — Doyle Rice, USA Today, 1 Sep. 2026
  • Dolly’s remnants are now just a surface trough of low pressure producing a disorganized area of showers and thunderstorms stretching from over portions of Hispaniola, the Turks and Caicos and southeastern Bahamas.
    — Richard Tribou, The Orlando Sentinel, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of remnant
Noun
  • Huge investments are needed to extract the rich resources in Venezuela, whose oil output remains at a fraction of its capacity due to decades of mismanagement, lack of investment and sanctions.
    — Anniek Bao,Spencer Kimball, CNBC, 1 Sep. 2026
  • Teacher coverage has fallen sharply, uniforms meet just a fraction of demand, forcing officials to recruit retirees and students while parents shoulder school meals and supplies once guaranteed by Cuba’s vaunted system.
    — Dánica Coto, Los Angeles Times, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of fraction
Noun
  • End-of-life rare-earth permanent magnets, manufacturing swarf, and other scrap containing critical minerals were deemed recoverable resources essential to national security.
    — Maria Mocerino, Interesting Engineering, 31 Aug. 2026
  • Another scrap of Shakespeare appeared, longer this time, echoing down the corridor of memory.
    — Helen Simpson, New Yorker, 30 Aug. 2026
Definition of scrap
Noun
  • The Rwanda project offered an opportunity to assess what this simple piece of infrastructure might be able to accomplish.
    — Fatma Tanis, NPR, 29 Aug. 2026
  • Simply put, this breezy cottagecore piece adds a touch of fairytale-like magic to your day.
    — Melony Forcier, PEOPLE, 29 Aug. 2026
Definition of piece

Browse Nearby Words

tasty
tatter
tatterdemalion
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Tatter.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tatter. Accessed 5 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

A List of Most Commonly Confused Words

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

Stay Woke

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Words of the Week - Sept. 4
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

The Longest Long Words List

Stay Woke
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
anagrams on a chalk board
Word Builder Quiz Vol. 2 Pick the letter that when added to a word will ma...
See All