ragged

/ˈɹæɡɪd/

//ˈɹæɡɪd// adj

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"ragged" is a 6-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“ragged” has 7 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #22,783. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#22,783
frequency rank, English
3,094
“R” headwords
7
tracked misspellings
18
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - In tatters, having the texture broken.

Corpus desk

Index EN-ragged · ragged · English

ragged · rank #22,783 · 7 variants · 18 confusables

  • FREQ-MID #22,783
  • LEN-LONG 6 letters
  • VOW-2 2 vowels
  • CONFUS-HIGH 18 pairs
  • VAR-MID 7 variants
  • BOOK-MID 3,094
  • PHOTO-FINISH raffle

Nearest frequency peer: raffle (-1 rank slots)

Read with this headword: Spelling guide for this pattern

Desk codes from Wiktionary headword shape, FrequencyWords rank tier, confusable-pair count, generated misspelling depth, letter-cohort book size, and photo-finish peer. Not a difficulty grade.

Rank peers near misspelling magnet “ragged”

Same rarity band: useful when a typo lands on a peer headword

corpus weight

What this shows “ragged” sits among these FrequencyWords peers; misspelling depth is tracked separately in the edit-distance chart.

Source FrequencyWords open word-frequency list As of September 3, 2026

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

ragged vs range
67% similar
ragged vs rated
67% similar
ragged vs raked
67% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for ragged
PropertyValue
Headwordragged
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechAdjective
IPA/ˈɹæɡɪd/
Letters6
Frequency rank#22,783
Misspellings tracked7
Confusable pairs18
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Frequency seat of misspelling magnet “ragged”

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right).raggedlands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

The axis is logarithmic, with each marked tick roughly ten times rarer than the last. Same rarity band neighbours include “raffle” (#22,782), “radiology” (#22,781), “recoil” (#22,785). Among 3,094 “R” headwords, “ragged” is #22,783. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 7 spelling variants around ragged (IPA /ˈɹæɡɪd/), anadjective. Corpus frequency is #22,783 among 3,094 “R” headwords. Wiktionary lists 9 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

Our generated misspelling index lists 7 likely wrong-spelling variants for ragged, with forms such as "argged", "raged", and "ragegd". Each variant is a distinct typo pattern an edit-distance generator flags, typically a doubled-consonant error, a silent-letter drop, or a vowel substitution. It also participates in 18 confusable-pair relationships, "range", "rated", "raked", and more, a pairing that trips writers up because the two words share enough sound or shape to blur together.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English ragged, from North Germanic. Compare with Old Norse rǫgvaðr (“tufted”) and Norwegian ragget (“shaggy”). The correct English form is ragged, spelled R-A-G-G-E-D.

Definition

  1. 1
    In tatters, having the texture broken.
  2. 2
    Having rough edges; jagged or uneven
  3. 3
    Harsh-sounding; having an unpleasant noise
  4. 4
    Wearing tattered clothes.
  5. 5
    Rough; shaggy; rugged.
  6. 6
    Faulty; lacking in skill, reliability, or organization.
  7. 7
    Performed in a syncopated manner, especially in ragtime.
  8. 8
    Of a data structure: having uneven levels.
  9. 9
    Not justified; having an uneven vertical margin.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

These source excerpts show how ragged appears in context. They illustrate usage; the definition above remains the entry’s reference meaning.

  1. a ragged coat
  2. a ragged sail

Etymology

From Middle English ragged, from North Germanic. Compare with Old Norse rǫgvaðr (“tufted”) and Norwegian ragget (“shaggy”).

This word in other languages

andrajoso(Español)en lambeaux(Français)esfarrapado(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • argged
  • raged
  • ragegd
  • raggde
  • raggedd
  • rgaged
  • rragged

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of ragged - counted as single-character edits (an insertion, a deletion, or a substituted letter). The larger the bar, the easier the typo is to spot; one-edit slips are the ones that sneak past readers.

argged2raged1ragegd2raggde2raggedd1rgaged2rragged1
Edit distance from "ragged"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "ragged"?
"ragged" is spelled R-A-G-G-E-D. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈɹæɡɪd/.
What does "ragged" mean?
As an adjective, "ragged" means: In tatters, having the texture broken.
What words are commonly confused with "ragged"?
"ragged" is commonly confused with "range", "rated", "raked". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "ragged"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "ragged" is /ˈɹæɡɪd/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "ragged"?
From Middle English ragged, from North Germanic. Compare with Old Norse rǫgvaðr (“tufted”) and Norwegian ragget (“shaggy”). See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Similar English words by spelling shape

Same letter count and similar misspelling depth for "ragged", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 6 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

raffle#22,782recoil#22,785rejoin#22,788ornate#22,759

Similar misspelling depth

Headwords with a similar count of attested misspellings (7 here; floor ≥5).

plume7 variantsOgden7 variantsstead7 variantsmagma7 variants

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list