What does Ratchet Mean? Ratchet vs. Wretched

Have your friends being using the term ratchet, as in “That girl is so ratchet,” lately? Here’s what it means and why you’re saying it wrong.

First, ratchet is a tool also known as a socket wrench. Despite what some people are saying, it’s not an adjective. You can’t call someone “a ratchet person.” That’s like saying “He’s such a monkey wrench person!” It doesn’t make sense.

The word you’re looking for, which somehow got distorted, is wretched. Wretched, meaning deeply afflicted, dejected, or distressed in body or mind or extremely or deplorably bad or distressing, is the correct adjective to use when trying to describe someone’s unacceptable state. “That girl’s hair is wretched.” The pronunciation is similar, but different.

So there you go. You can continue to use the slang, or you can use the correct form of the word and Henry Higgins and I will beam with pride.