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
Recent Examples on the Web
And the player who was supposed to be their future, the centrepiece of United for a generation and the latest great to emerge from their vaunted youth system, Marcus Rashford, is off on loan to Aston Villa, relationship with his boyhood club in tatters.
—
Nick Miller, The Athletic, 3 Feb. 2025
Israeli airstrikes that wiped out Hezbollah’s top leadership and left its internal security in tatters are a devastating blow to Iran’s decadeslong project of wielding power in the Middle East through proxies, former U.S. intelligence officials and analysts say.
—Dan De Luce, NBC News, 30 Sep. 2024
World & Nation Hamas frees 4 female Israeli soldiers in exchange for 200 prisoners amid Gaza cease-fire
Jan. 25, 2025
Yemen’s economy is in tatters, something that’s put increasing pressure on the Houthis and others in the conflict to potentially negotiate an end to the war.
—Jon Gambrell, Los Angeles Times, 25 Jan. 2025
The country’s international standing is in tatters, threatening its diplomatic goals, such as the normalization of relations with Saudi Arabia.
—Erika Solomon, New York Times, 18 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for in tatters 
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.
Nick Miller, The Athletic, 3 Feb. 2025
Israeli airstrikes that wiped out Hezbollah’s top leadership and left its internal security in tatters are a devastating blow to Iran’s decadeslong project of wielding power in the Middle East through proxies, former U.S. intelligence officials and analysts say.
—Dan De Luce, NBC News, 30 Sep. 2024
World & Nation Hamas frees 4 female Israeli soldiers in exchange for 200 prisoners amid Gaza cease-fire
Jan. 25, 2025
Yemen’s economy is in tatters, something that’s put increasing pressure on the Houthis and others in the conflict to potentially negotiate an end to the war.
—Jon Gambrell, Los Angeles Times, 25 Jan. 2025
The country’s international standing is in tatters, threatening its diplomatic goals, such as the normalization of relations with Saudi Arabia.
—Erika Solomon, New York Times, 18 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for in tatters
Dictionary Entries Near in tatters
Cite this Entry
“In tatters.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/in%20tatters. Accessed 22 Feb. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share