ragtag

American  

[rag-tag] / ˈrægˌtæg /

adjective

1. ragged or shabby; disheveled.

2. made up of mixed, often diverse, elements.

   a ragtag crowd.

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ragtag British  

/ ˈræɡˌtæɡ /

noun

1. derogatory the common people; rabble (esp in the phrase ragtag and bobtail )

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Etymology

Origin of ragtag

First recorded in 1880–85; rag ¹ + tag ¹

Explanation

A ragtag is a disorganized or motley group of people. When a parade marching band is described as a ragtag, it probably has mismatched outfits and an odd collection of instruments. The noun ragtag comes from the old-fashioned phrase rag, tag, and bobtail — bobtail was once slang for "contemptible rascal," while tag was used to mean "torn cloth." Together, the phrase meant "riffraff" or "an unsavory bunch of folks." Today, you're more likely to see ragtag used as an adjective, as it is in the musical "Hamilton," in which the Continental Army is described as "a ragtag volunteer army in need of a shower."

Example Sentences

Despite their budget, the ragtag A’s of 2002, using the early principles of analytics to find a collection of undervalued players on the cheap, finished with 103 victories, the same number as the Yankees.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 16, 2026

They entered the global stage as Yemen descended into civil war more than a decade ago when the ragtag militia fighters stormed Sanaa and ousted the government from most population centres.

From Barron's • Mar. 16, 2026

Chandran says One Piece's universal appeal comes from its ragtag group of characters from different backgrounds.

From BBC • Mar. 10, 2026

How this proudly low-budget effort managed to license those tunes is as curious as so much else in this ragtag oddity.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 27, 2026

The mayor is standing on the open- air platform, and as soon as we disembark we are herded in a ragtag line to a Grange Hall a block from the station.

From "Orphan Train" by Christina Baker Kline