Bedraggled means looking messy, wet, and worn out, like you've been through something difficult. Picture a cat that fell in a puddle: its fur is soaked and matted, sticking out in clumps, making it look utterly miserable. That cat is bedraggled.

The word usually describes appearance after rain, mud, or exhausting activity. A hiker who gets caught in a thunderstorm arrives home bedraggled, with clothes dripping water and hair plastered to their head. A dog running through the sprinkler all afternoon becomes bedraggled, its once-fluffy coat now hanging limp and dirty.

You can feel bedraggled too. After a long day of outdoor chores in bad weather, you might trudge inside feeling bedraggled: tired, damp, and desperately wanting dry clothes. The word captures both how you look (disheveled and soggy) and how you feel (worn down and weary).

Bedraggled is more specific than just “messy.” It suggests wetness or dampness combined with exhaustion. A bedroom might be messy, but only someone or something that's been through wind, rain, or mud becomes truly bedraggled.