1
as in newspaper
a publication that appears at regular intervals
the local rag publishes more gossip than news
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in clothing
rags plural
covering for the human body
the girls showed up at the prom wearing their most elegant rags
Synonyms & Similar Words
as in prank
a playful or mischievous act intended as a joke
a collegiate rag that nearly got him sent down from Oxford
Synonyms & Similar Words
as in to scold
to criticize (someone) severely or angrily especially for personal failings
several readers called in to rag the editor for his paper's repeated grammatical lapses
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of rag
Heather Bien, Southern Living, 28 Dec. 2024
The show is a uniquely hilarious take on a collision of a riches to rags story and the familiarity of light crime and investigation infused with humour and local New Zealand quirks, all brought to life by the razor-sharp minds of comedy duo Laura Daniel and Joseph Moore.
—Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 11 Dec. 2024
Erik Kain, Forbes, 29 Dec. 2024
The Talib looked as ragged as his outpost, a trailer banked on a snowy mountain pass.
—Azam Ahmed, New York Times, 28 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for rag 
Noun
To clean the interior, use a vacuum attachment to remove crumbs, then wipe them out with the same rag.
—Heather Bien, Southern Living, 28 Dec. 2024
The show is a uniquely hilarious take on a collision of a riches to rags story and the familiarity of light crime and investigation infused with humour and local New Zealand quirks, all brought to life by the razor-sharp minds of comedy duo Laura Daniel and Joseph Moore.
—Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 11 Dec. 2024
Verb
Bill Skarsgård is absolutely marvelous in the role, his breath ragged, his thick Romanian accent at once menacing and more than a little preposterous.
—Erik Kain, Forbes, 29 Dec. 2024
The Talib looked as ragged as his outpost, a trailer banked on a snowy mountain pass.
—Azam Ahmed, New York Times, 28 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for rag
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rag
Verb
-
The Anti-Defamation League is scolding Elon Musk after coming to the billionaire titan’s defense earlier in the week.—
James Hibberd,
The Hollywood Reporter,
23 Jan. 2025
-
Those opinions are usually punctuated by scolding those who do not immediately comply.—
Judith Martin,
Sun Sentinel,
23 Jan. 2025
Verb
-
On one occasion, Aldous Huxley lectured on the lurid life of the Renaissance visionary Carlo Gesualdo.—
Alex Ross,
The New Yorker,
27 Jan. 2025
-
Marcy Thompson: The couple moved to Berlin, where Rudolf was invited to lecture for the German Social Democratic Party.—
Marcy Thompson,
Scientific American,
23 Jan. 2025
Verb
-
In 2011, in the southern city of Daraa, a group of teen-age boys were caught painting anti-government graffiti on a wall, and, rather than simply reprimand them, secret police tortured them to death.—
Jon Lee Anderson,
The New Yorker,
27 Jan. 2025
-
However, the post by TikTok Policy claims that internet hosting services will not be reprimanded for restoring the platform under Trump.—
Greta Cross,
USA TODAY,
19 Jan. 2025
Verb
-
After calling for a moment of silence in the White House press briefing room on Thursday, Trump went on the attack, blaming the tragedy on his Democratic predecessors and their emphasis on diversity in hiring.—
Nicole Fallert,
USA TODAY,
31 Jan. 2025
-
President Trump questions if DEI policies are to blame In the immediate aftermath of the crash, President Trump said he had been briefed on the incident and offered his condolences.—
Ayana Archie,
NPR,
31 Jan. 2025
Verb
-
Trump has been harshly criticized for pardoning Jan. 6 defendants who assaulted police officers but said Tuesday that planned pardons of D.C. police Terence Sutton and Andrew Zabavsky indicate his true stance in support of law enforcement.—
Haisten Willis,
Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government,
22 Jan. 2025
-
PinkNews journalist Amelia Hansford criticizes the movie for portraying the titular character’s gender transition as a moral decision to absolve her of her past sins.—
Conor Murray,
Forbes,
22 Jan. 2025
Thesaurus Entries Near rag
Cite this Entry
“Rag.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rag. Accessed 4 Feb. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share