Tattered means torn, ragged, and worn out from long use or age. When something is tattered, it's falling apart at the edges, with rips and frays that show it has been through a lot.

You might see a tattered flag flying outside an old building, its fabric shredded by years of wind and weather. A beloved stuffed animal becomes tattered after being dragged around for years, its fur matted and its seams splitting. Old books in a library sometimes have tattered pages, soft and torn at the corners from countless readers turning them.

The word often suggests something that was once whole and useful but has deteriorated over time. A tattered poster on a telephone pole has probably been rained on and beaten by wind until it's barely recognizable. Someone's tattered clothes might be ripped and threadbare from hard work or not having enough money.

Tattered can carry a feeling of sadness or hardship, unlike words like “vintage” or “antique” that suggest something old but valuable. When you describe something as tattered, you're emphasizing how worn down and damaged it has become.