threadbare

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

“She began being grateful for the blankets, the only thing she had — and they were threadbare blankets,” Conniff says.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 19, 2026

"The farmers are the poorest people in Ivory Coast," he added, showing his threadbare clothes.

From Barron's • Jan. 26, 2026

Years of squeezed spending in some areas leaving some parts of the public services threadbare.

From BBC • Nov. 22, 2025

Bringing your whole self to work can leave you threadbare, writes Amanda Goetz.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 12, 2025

I wore a threadbare coat that bore grease stains on the arms, and my cheeks were smudged brown with dirt and grime.

From "The Detective's Assistant" by Kate Hannigan