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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of rag
Max Goldbart, Deadline, 19 Mar. 2025
Give your vase a cold rinse so that the bubbles are flushed away and thoroughly dry it out with a rag or paper towel.
—Mary Catherine McAnnally Scott, Southern Living, 14 Feb. 2025
Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 13 Mar. 2025
By then, her voice had worn ragged — lower in pitch, rougher in tone, better suited for more sophisticated songs.
—Robert Levine, Billboard, 1 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for rag
Noun
Revealed by Deadline several months back, The Lady charts the rise and fall of former royal dresser Andrews, whose rags to riches fairytale fell apart when she was convicted of murder.
—Max Goldbart, Deadline, 19 Mar. 2025
Give your vase a cold rinse so that the bubbles are flushed away and thoroughly dry it out with a rag or paper towel.
—Mary Catherine McAnnally Scott, Southern Living, 14 Feb. 2025
Verb
Photos provided by Niğde representatives show the mummy with its arms crossed and placed on a bed of sheets and ragged cardboard.
—Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 13 Mar. 2025
By then, her voice had worn ragged — lower in pitch, rougher in tone, better suited for more sophisticated songs.
—Robert Levine, Billboard, 1 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for rag
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rag
Verb
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Back in the fortress, the Man of Steel scolds Krypto for wrecking the joint while he was gone.—
Anthony D'Alessandro,
Deadline,
1 Apr. 2025
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After the kid was saved, Beltran scolded the resident, reminding her not to bring her personal life into the ER — or her attending’s.—
Charlie Mason,
TVLine,
27 Mar. 2025
Verb
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For decades, Washington lectured Beijing about avoiding protectionism, eliminating barriers to foreign investment, and disciplining the use of subsidies and industrial policy—with only modest success.—
Michael B. G. Froman,
Foreign Affairs,
25 Mar. 2025
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Boutros has also lectured at the University of Chicago Law School since 2011 and published two books on white-collar law.—
Rick Pearson,
Chicago Tribune,
25 Mar. 2025
Verb
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Logical consistency would require these legislators to reprimand PURA’s rigid approach and call for more regulatory flexibility so utilities can invest proactively in essential cybersecurity measures.—
Brian Harrell,
Hartford Courant,
31 Mar. 2025
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As John Cena and The Rock's Third Man WWE Could Steal Away Top AEW Star: Report Strickland recounted a meeting with Vince McMahon, where the group was reprimanded for a member's aggressive phone call to a WWE office employee regarding B-Fab's flight details.—
Paul Du Quenoy,
MSNBC Newsweek,
27 Mar. 2025
Verb
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Usually that takes the form of falsely blaming Israel for all Palestinian woes instead of recognizing Hamas's strategy of profiting off death, whether Israeli or Palestinian.—
Josh Hammer,
MSNBC Newsweek,
1 Apr. 2025
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President Donald Trump repeatedly tried to blame water issues and the Los Angeles fires on the Newsom administration’s management of Delta water supplies.—
CalMatters,
Mercury News,
1 Apr. 2025
Verb
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On Wednesday, Trump announced sweeping tariffs that have been mostly criticized by agricultural and food groups for their potential to shrink markets for farmers and raise consumer prices.—
Tom Polansek and Leah Douglas,
USA Today,
4 Apr. 2025
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The judge also criticized the Corps for failing to quantify how climate change will impact precipitation and, therefore, how that change could impact the need for more water storage.—
Elise Schmelzer,
Denver Post,
4 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Rag.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rag. Accessed 13 Apr. 2025.
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