in tatters
idiom
: clothes that are old and badly torn
They were dressed in tatters.
—often used figurativelyAfter the war, the economy was in tatters.
Her hopes lay in tatters.
Examples of in tatters in a Sentence
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The 39-year-old started 2024 as one of Europe’s most promising head coaches, but his spell at Manchester United could leave his reputation in tatters, with some suggesting that he could even be sacked before the end of the current season.
—
Steve Price, Forbes, 1 Jan. 2025
But its economic leverage over South Korea is low, even more so since Seoul joined other democracies in sanctioning Russia after the latter’s invasion of Ukraine, and its international credibility is in tatters.
—Robert E. Kelly, Foreign Affairs, 30 Dec. 2024
Bringing up the rear is a crew of comic characters: a Fool dressed all in skins, with a tail hanging down his back, and an old couple dressed in tatters.
—The Editors, JSTOR Daily, 27 Dec. 2024
Not after Biles’ return from the most public of collapses, in Tokyo in 2021, her mental health in tatters for a variety of reasons.
—David Aldridge, The Athletic, 1 Aug. 2024
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Steve Price, Forbes, 1 Jan. 2025
But its economic leverage over South Korea is low, even more so since Seoul joined other democracies in sanctioning Russia after the latter’s invasion of Ukraine, and its international credibility is in tatters.
—Robert E. Kelly, Foreign Affairs, 30 Dec. 2024
Bringing up the rear is a crew of comic characters: a Fool dressed all in skins, with a tail hanging down his back, and an old couple dressed in tatters.
—The Editors, JSTOR Daily, 27 Dec. 2024
Not after Biles’ return from the most public of collapses, in Tokyo in 2021, her mental health in tatters for a variety of reasons.
—David Aldridge, The Athletic, 1 Aug. 2024
See all Example Sentences for in tatters
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Cite this Entry
“In tatters.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/in%20tatters. Accessed 18 Jan. 2025.
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