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
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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of rag
Staff and Wire Reports, Boston Herald, 2 June 2025
On multiple occasions, malfunctions with a grinder pump on the prison property caused large pieces of debris including bed sheets and rags to be released into the city’s sewer system, leading to major downstream clogs and requiring costly emergency repairs, the complaint claims.
—Matthew Kelly, Kansas City Star, 28 May 2025
Mark Critchley, New York Times, 2 May 2025
The band’s music was ragged and dry, the work of self-referential pranksters scavenging for meaning at the tail end of rock’s imperial era.
—Hua Hsu, New Yorker, 19 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for rag
Noun
The devices were made up of glass wine carafe bottles or jars with clear liquid and red rags hanging out of the them, the FBI said.
—Staff and Wire Reports, Boston Herald, 2 June 2025
On multiple occasions, malfunctions with a grinder pump on the prison property caused large pieces of debris including bed sheets and rags to be released into the city’s sewer system, leading to major downstream clogs and requiring costly emergency repairs, the complaint claims.
—Matthew Kelly, Kansas City Star, 28 May 2025
Verb
Athletic Club ran United ragged in that opening period of this Europa League semi-final, twice coming close to going ahead, and only properly fell apart once reduced to 10 men.
—Mark Critchley, New York Times, 2 May 2025
The band’s music was ragged and dry, the work of self-referential pranksters scavenging for meaning at the tail end of rock’s imperial era.
—Hua Hsu, New Yorker, 19 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for rag
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rag
Verb
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After the period, the TNT crew scolded Luostarinen for not keeping his stick on the ice.—
Jordan McPherson,
Miami Herald,
15 June 2025
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The estranged wife of actor Scott Wolf was seemingly detained by law enforcement during an Instagram livestream, during which she can be heard scolding officers and alleging she was abused.—
Jessica Schladebeck,
New York Daily News,
13 June 2025
Verb
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Rather than lecturing, Kahn recommends guiding them to draw their own conclusions.—
Lydia Wang,
Parents,
20 May 2025
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Trump stated during his big speech on the trip that his administration was not there to lecture the region on how to deal with its affairs.—
Brittney Melton,
NPR,
16 May 2025
Verb
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What follows is a series of painful-to-watch confrontations between the two, in which Ace reprimands Amaya for normal human behavior, like expecting the guy who chose her to show some romantic interest, in the low, measured tone of a psychopath.—
Kathleen Walsh,
Vulture,
11 June 2025
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Manford was reprimanded for the incident; a male coworker who had done something similar a month before faced no repercussions, according to court documents.—
Caroline Zimmerman,
Kansas City Star,
6 June 2025
Verb
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Chicago Tribune If the plan goes awry and a recruit slips away, one thing the former NBA insider refuses to do is blame the money.—
Maura Carey,
Chicago Tribune,
12 June 2025
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Tax rise hit Domestic tax rises have also been blamed for the steep decline in economic activity.—
Holly Ellyatt,
CNBC,
12 June 2025
Verb
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Several Make America Great Again (MAGA) figures, such as Laura Loomer, are criticizing Democratic Minnesota Governor Tim Walz over his ties to the suspect in Saturday's deadly shooting.—
Mandy Taheri
Hollie Silverman,
MSNBC Newsweek,
15 June 2025
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Those voices have long criticized Netanyahu, especially as the death toll in Gaza has soared beyond 50,000 people, including thousands of children.—
Mike Lillis,
The Hill,
14 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Rag.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rag. Accessed 26 Jun. 2025.
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