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Meaning & use

matted

adjective·Everyday

Last updated

UK/ˈmætɪd/
US/ˈmætɪd/

“matted” is a form of “mat”. See that entry for the full set of meanings.

Meanings

  1. adjectivecomparable

    Twisted and stuck together into a thick, tangled lump, as hair or fur can become.

    Grammar: Before a noun or after a verb: matted hair, the fur was matted.

    Patterns

    • matted with something
    • matted hair

    The stray dog's fur was matted with mud.

    She brushed gently through her son's matted hair.

    The sailors found a mass of matted seaweed on the beach.

  2. adjectivebefore a nountechnical

    Mounted in a frame with a card border placed around a picture.

    Grammar: Used in framing: a matted print has a border between the picture and the frame.

    Patterns

    • matted and framed

    The gallery sold the matted prints for forty dollars each.

    A matted photograph looks better in a simple wooden frame.

    We bought a matted poster for the hallway.

Common combinations

matted hair
A hot shower loosened his matted hair.
matted fur
The cat had matted fur around its tail.
matted with blood
The old coat was matted with mud and dirt.
matted wool
They sheared the sheep and discarded the matted wool.
matted and tangled
His beard was matted and tangled after weeks on the trail.

Synonyms and how they differ

tangled
Tangled is more general and fits string and wires, while matted suggests a dense, tightly stuck mass.
knotted
Knotted describes distinct knots, but matted describes a thick mass in which the strands cannot be separated easily.
unkempt
Unkempt means untidy overall and does not describe the stuck-together texture.
dishevelled
Dishevelled describes a messy look, usually of a person, rather than a specific tangled texture.

Opposites

smoothsleek

Word family

mat verb
to become tangled in a thick mass
mat noun
a flat piece of material for covering a floor or surface
matting noun
coarse woven material used for mats
matte adjective
having a flat surface that does not shine

Commonly confused: matted or matte?

matted vs matte

Matte describes a dull, non-glossy finish. Matted describes hair or fiber stuck in a mass; they sound different.

Practice

The groomer spent an hour cutting out the ___ fur from the old dog's coat.

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