1
as in newspaper
a publication that appears at regular intervals
the local rag publishes more gossip than news
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2
as in clothing
rags plural
covering for the human body
the girls showed up at the prom wearing their most elegant rags
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as in prank
a playful or mischievous act intended as a joke
a collegiate rag that nearly got him sent down from Oxford
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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
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Examples Sentences
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Recent Examples of rag
Elizabeth Brownfield, Southern Living, 25 Oct. 2024
For instance, an old storage bin could be used for organizing, or fabric from unworn clothes can be upcycled into cleaning rags or DIY projects.
—True Tamplin, Forbes, 7 Oct. 2024
Andrea Kane, CNN, 15 Oct. 2024
Running myself ragged trying to catch up rarely ends well for my immune system and the shutdown method just makes matters worse.
—Patricia Shannon, Southern Living, 3 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for rag 
Noun
That means shaking dusters outside to release particles, and washing rags in the washing machine along with a disinfecting solution of bleach or vinegar.
—Elizabeth Brownfield, Southern Living, 25 Oct. 2024
For instance, an old storage bin could be used for organizing, or fabric from unworn clothes can be upcycled into cleaning rags or DIY projects.
—True Tamplin, Forbes, 7 Oct. 2024
Verb
Swap selflessness for sturdy leadership Running yourself ragged to please everyone is not healthy.
—Andrea Kane, CNN, 15 Oct. 2024
Running myself ragged trying to catch up rarely ends well for my immune system and the shutdown method just makes matters worse.
—Patricia Shannon, Southern Living, 3 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for rag
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rag
Verb
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Video shared on social media by Country Central showed Bryan halting his performance and walking toward a microphone to scold the person responsible.Brendan Morrow, USA TODAY, 26 Nov. 2024
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Among the many to scold this group for having their phones out in the cinema was the luxury theater chain Alamo Drafthouse, which is known for an especially strict no-phones policy.Miles Klee, Rolling Stone, 26 Nov. 2024
Verb
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They even get lectured by parents for breaking rules — but that doesn't stop them from finding a spaceship buried in the nearby woods.Christian Holub, EW.com, 1 Nov. 2024
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The whole thing reads as if it is being delivered by someone looking down over their glasses with their hands on their hips like a parent lecturing a child.Roger Valdez, Forbes, 3 Oct. 2024
Verb
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The Democratic chair of the Senate Homeland Security Committee reprimanded the heads of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Department of Homeland Security for failing to appear for an annual hearing.Matt Robison, Newsweek, 21 Nov. 2024
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Judge denies Preston Lord defendant's request to return case to grand jury Cochise County judge reprimanded for issuing improper arrest warrant Tucson robbery cases for the year's first nine months were tacked at 598, reflecting a spike of 25 from all of last year.Jose R. Gonzalez, The Arizona Republic, 21 Nov. 2024
Verb
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The spokesperson noted that the failure to win a loan guarantee from the German government wasn't down to Lilium's technology, but instead was blamed on disagreement in parliament from the Green Party over funding an air travel company.Nicole Kobie, Forbes, 22 Nov. 2024
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An American citizen has died at a popular adventure spot in Laos where alcohol tainted with methanol has been blamed for a spate of poisonings in recent days.Mithil Aggarwal, NBC News, 22 Nov. 2024
Verb
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Yet over the years, colleagues have criticized and debunked the experiment, citing Zimbardo’s interventions and crucial details left out of his portrayal of what happened.Judy Berman, TIME, 29 Nov. 2024
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China criticized Trump's tariff proposal, accusing his administration of unfairly blaming China for America's opioid crisis in connection with fentanyl flows.Yaakov Katz, Newsweek, 28 Nov. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near rag
Cite this Entry
“Rag.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rag. Accessed 3 Dec. 2024.
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