A ragamuffin is a person, especially a child, who is dressed in ragged or dirty clothes, and often appears disheveled or neglected. They are typically considered to be impoverished and live on the margins of society. The term evokes a sense of the wild, unkempt, and perhaps even mischievous nature often associated with such individuals. Historically, ragamuffins were commonly found in urban slums and impoverished rural areas, often forming street gangs or simply surviving through scavenging and begging. The word can also be used more broadly, playfully, to describe someone who is adorably messy or endearingly unconventional in appearance.
Ragamuffin meaning with examples
- The orphan, a tiny ragamuffin with mismatched shoes and patched pants, clung to the kindly old woman at the soup kitchen, hoping for a warm meal. His unkempt hair and smudged face told tales of hardship. He embodied the very image of a child battling destitution.
- The film's depiction of the ragamuffin street urchins, living in the sprawling slums of London, was both heartbreaking and captivating, highlighting their resilience in the face of relentless poverty and reminding us of the harsh realities of the time.
- Despite her noble lineage, the princess often secretly longed to shed her formal attire and run wild like a ragamuffin through the castle gardens, enjoying the simple pleasures of childhood.
- The artist painted a poignant portrait of a ragamuffin girl sitting on a dusty crate, her wide eyes reflecting a profound sadness, serving as a commentary on societal neglect.
- The old bookshop, filled with the scent of aged paper and the occasional scuffle of a ragamuffin cat chasing a sunbeam, had a certain charm.
Ragamuffin Synonyms
beggar gamin gutter snipe hooligan miserable ne'er-do-well poor rascal scallywag scamp street urchin tatterdemalion tramp urchin vagrant waifRagamuffin Antonyms
affluent aristocrat gentleman lady noble posh privileged refined wealthy well-dressedRagamuffin Crossword Answers
4 Letters
WAIF
6 Letters
URCHIN
11 Letters
GUTTERSNIPE
14 Letters
TATTERDEMALION