ragtag

adjective

ˈrag-ˌtag How to pronounce ragtag (audio)
Definition of ragtagnext
1
as in eclectic
consisting of many things of different sorts the team was a ragtag bunch who had only one thing in common: a lack of skill

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in tattered
wearing torn or worn out clothes a ragtag and weary regiment arrived back at headquarters with the latest news from the front

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 ragtag Their once formidable left wing media army – led by CNN, the Washington Post and 60 Minutes – is dwindling to just a ragtag few that have forfeited their power, influence, ratings and readership. — Joe Battenfeld, Boston Herald, 18 June 2026 With no league and no roadmap, a ragtag group of players and an unlikely coach endured a grueling two-year training camp, hoping simply not to embarrass their nation at the first-ever World Cup on American soil. — Brent Lang, Variety, 17 June 2026 The Pushing Daisies and Marcella star plays a fearsome and fearless doctor, who along with her second-in-command, registrar Dr Curtis Parker, leads a ragtag group of medical interns on their final chance at Pines Hospital. — Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 14 June 2026 In this case, Nathan Fillion's Mal Reynolds plays the wisecracking and morally ambiguous Solo-type role, while he's accompanied by a ragtag crew aboard his ship, known as Serenity. — Sergio Pereira, Space.com, 3 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for ragtag
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ragtag
  1. eclectic
  2. tattered
  3. assorted
  4. ragged
  5. varied
  6. mixed
Adjective
  • The six-part series, from the mind of Cortesi, follows Maddy Caruso, a British wedding planner for an eclectic list of clients in the Italian countryside.
    — Lily Ford, HollywoodReporter, 26 Aug. 2026
  • The story will follow Maddy Caruso, a British wedding planner for an eclectic list of clients in the stunning Italian countryside.
    — Zac Ntim, Deadline, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of eclectic
Adjective
  • On a recent afternoon, the lanky, mustachioed Zucker, wearing a T-shirt, ballcap and small hoop earrings, bears little resemblance to his comic alter ego who sports a tattered suit with gag props stuffed in every pocket.
    — Deputy Entertainment, Los Angeles Times, 25 Aug. 2026
  • For weeks, migrants in the Spanish territory of Ceuta had gathered on a beach away from the city center, sleeping on cardboard sheets, under reed huts and guarding their few possessions in tattered plastic bags.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 20 Aug. 2026
Definition of tattered
Adjective
  • At the center Tuesday afternoon, about a dozen residents gathered with pets and assorted belongings as a team of volunteers worked to set up a dormitory in the center’s gymnasium.
    — Lillie Davidson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 26 Aug. 2026
  • The benches near the dining table and others throughout the home lift up to store life jackets, cushions and other assorted items.
    — Tabitha Parent, PEOPLE, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of assorted
Adjective
  • Cutting back is done in mid-summer when foliage looks ragged and blooming slows to increase plant vigor, control height, and encourage a second flush of blooms.
    — Mary Marlowe Leverette, The Spruce, 19 Aug. 2026
  • Typically depicted with exaggerated features and ragged clothing – or no clothing at all – these children were often shown being chased by alligators or other wild animals.
    — The Conversation, The Conversation, 11 Aug. 2026
Definition of ragged
Adjective
  • Ravens famously accompany Odin in Norse mythology, while ravens and crows play important—and varied—roles in the traditions of many Indigenous peoples across North America.
    — Blythe Copeland, Martha Stewart, 31 Aug. 2026
  • In some initial results, dead fish collected from the mass mortality events showed consistently high levels of PHV, the department said in a statement, while live fish that were examined had varied levels of the virus.
    — Michelle Gumede, Los Angeles Times, 29 Aug. 2026
Definition of varied
Adjective
  • Yum reported mixed second-quarter results and said the cyclospora outbreak linked to Taco Bell hit the chain's sales in July, but that trends began to improve.
    — Deena Zaidi, CNBC, 31 Aug. 2026
  • Open Concepts With more mixed reactions than the other trends, open concepts fill out the top five most controversial design trends.
    — Claire Hoppe Norgaard, Better Homes & Gardens, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of mixed

Phrases Containing ragtag

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rags on
ragtag
ragtag and bobtail
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Cite this Entry

“Ragtag.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ragtag. Accessed 2 Sep. 2026.

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