as in dilapidated
showing signs of advanced wear and tear and neglect
an old dog-eared copy of a beloved book
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Recent Examples of dog-eared
My esteemed coworkers in Vulture’s book Slack, in fact, suggested that copies of The Secret of Secrets should come pre-wrinkled and dog-eared, with salt stains and sand in the pages.
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Emily Heller, Vulture, 30 Jan. 2025
Sometimes they’ve been torn, smudged, folded or dog-eared.
—Elizabeth Weise, USA TODAY, 12 Jan. 2025
My copies of these books are now dog-eared to death and as appropriately stained as favorite kitchen tools.
—Lisa Donovan, New York Times, 8 Jan. 2025
Tampa Bay is still a very good team, even if a bit dog-eared around the edges of its elite personnel.
—Kevin Paul Dupont, BostonGlobe.com, 27 May 2023
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dog-eared
Adjective
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In this way, abandoned and often dilapidated homes are saved and renovated rather than being left to further deteriorate or be torn down.—
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To find her, Luis becomes embedded with an outlaw band of ravers, who cross the Moroccan desert in huge, dilapidated trucks.—
Adjective
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The narrative highlights the growing, unseen populations of lonely and neglected individuals, shedding light on a vital but often ignored aspect of public care.—
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Over six years, Papp and Archie fostered 120 dogs and cats, and the owner said Archie was a major reason some of the most neglected and frightened animals went on to live full and happy lives.—
Adjective
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Kick your tattered bath mat to the curb, and grab the Yimobra Memory Foam Bath Rug before the deal expires.—
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The textured look included Roberto Cavalli tattered pants in a deep burgundy, worn with brown Miu Miu leggings underneath, a Dolce & Gabbana corset, and a Hermès by Jean Paul Gaultier shawl.—
Cite this Entry
“Dog-eared.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dog-eared. Accessed 13 Jan. 2026.
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