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Bedraggled: meaning, definitions and examples

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bedraggled

 

[ bɪˈdræɡəld ]

Adjective / Verb
Context #1 | Adjective

wet and dirty

Looking bedraggled, the poor stray dog wandered the streets in search of food and shelter. Her once fluffy fur was now matted and caked with mud, giving her a pitiful appearance.

Synonyms

dirty, muddy, untidy

Examples of usage

  • The bedraggled hiker finally made it to the shelter after getting caught in a downpour.
  • She emerged from the storm, bedraggled and exhausted, but grateful to be alive.
Context #2 | Verb

to make something wet and dirty

The heavy rain bedraggled her hair, causing the carefully styled curls to lose their shape and become limp.

Synonyms

drench, saturate, soak

Examples of usage

  • The children gleefully bedraggled each other by splashing in the puddles after the storm.

Translations

Translations of the word "bedraggled" in other languages:

🇵🇹 encharcado

🇮🇳 गंदा और गीला

🇩🇪 durchnässt

🇮🇩 basah kuyup

🇺🇦 забрьоханий

🇵🇱 przemoczony

🇯🇵 びしょ濡れ

🇫🇷 trempé

🇪🇸 empapado

🇹🇷 sırılsıklam

🇰🇷 흠뻑 젖은

🇸🇦 مبتل للغاية

🇨🇿 promočený

🇸🇰 premoknutý

🇨🇳 湿透的

🇸🇮 premočen

🇮🇸 blautur

🇰🇿 су болған

🇬🇪 დასველებული

🇦🇿 islanmış

🇲🇽 empapado

Word origin

The word 'bedraggled' originated from the combination of 'be-' (intensive prefix) and 'draggled' (past participle of 'draggle', meaning to make wet and dirty). It first appeared in the early 18th century in English literature, describing something soaked and dirty, typically in the context of rain or water.

See also: drag, dragging.

Word Frequency Rank

At rank #29,063, this word represents specialized academic or technical vocabulary. It's less frequently encountered but may be valuable in specific contexts.