tag

1 of 2

verb (1)

tagged; tagging; tags

transitive verb

1

: to provide or mark with or as if with a tag: such as

a

: to supply with an identifying marker or price

was tagged at $4.95

b

: to provide with a name or epithet : label, brand

tagged him a has-been

c

: to put a ticket on (a motor vehicle) for a traffic violation

d

: to deface with a graffito usually in the form of the defacer's nickname

e

: to supply (something, such as a social media post) with a hashtag

Don't forget to submit your photos of Montreal via Facebook, Twitter and Instagram by tagging them with #ThisMtl.

—Montreal Gazette

f

: to mention (another person or account) in a social media post in a way that causes the person or account to be notified of the post

On Facebook, if someone wants to get your attention or make it clear to others that you are somehow connected to a post, they can tag you in it. Your name will be mentioned in the post or with the photo, and everyone else who sees it will also know that you are mentioned.

—Dave Johnson

Knowing how to tag someone on Facebook means also knowing how to tag someone on Twitter and Instagram. Simply use the @ symbol to start a tag.

—ThriveHive.com

My friends went back and tagged me in all the photos I'd missed …

—Rachel Kraus

Instagram allows users to reshare posts they've been tagged in to their own Story.

—Devon Delfino

2

: to attach as an addition : append

3

: to follow closely and persistently

4

: to hold to account

especially : to charge with violating the law

He was tagged for … assault.

—Burt Woolis

5

: label sense 2

intransitive verb

: to keep close

… tagging at their heels.

—Corey Ford

tag

2 of 2

verb (2)

tagged; tagging

transitive verb

1

a

: to touch in or as if in a game of tag

b

: to put out (a runner) in baseball by a touch with the ball or the gloved hand containing the ball

2

: to hit solidly

3

: to choose usually for a special purpose : select

4

: to make a hit or run off (a pitcher) in baseball

the batter tagged him for a home run

Synonyms of tag

Verb (1)

• label
• mark
• stamp

Verb (2)

• slap
• punch
• hit
• smack
• knock
• clip
• bang
• slam
• clap
• swipe
• strike
• pound
• box
• bat
• whack

Examples of tag in a Sentence

Verb (1)

tagged all the dresses with sale stickers before putting them on the rack

wildlife experts surreptitiously tagged the timber wolf, carefully keeping a safe distance so the wolf wouldn't catch their scent and run

Verb (2)

he tagged me with a right hook and blackened my eye

she tagged her most experienced operative for the special mission

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

Miguel Andujar hit a light chopper to third baseman Alec Bohm, who faked a throw to first and Tatis was tagged out in a rundown to end the inning. —CBS News, 3 June 2026

Sensormatic Solutions is offering global fashion retailers two tagging alternatives which can be sewn directly into the garment without compromising its look and feel. —Roy Stephen Canivel, Footwear News, 3 June 2026

And yet the Angels still held a three-run lead in the eighth inning when right-hander Jose Fermin was tagged for five runs, including a go-ahead three-run home run from Hunter Goodman. —Doug Padilla, Oc Register, 2 June 2026

Cruz posted, tagging Gillibrand. —Natassia Paloma, USA Today, 2 June 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Verb (1)

1627, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Verb (2)

1878, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing tag

• carries a hefty price tag
• dog tag
• hefty price tag
• name tag
• phone tag
• price tag
• put a price tag on
• radio-tag
• skin tag
• tag along
• tag end
• tag question
• tag, rag, and bobtail
• tag sale
• tag team
• tag up
• telephone tag

Rhymes for tag

• ag
• bag
• brag
• dag
• drag
• flag
• gag
• hag
• hagg
• lag
• mag
• nag

Kids Definition

tag

1 of 4 noun

ˈtag 

1

: a loose hanging piece of cloth : tatter

2

: a metal or plastic binding on an end of a shoelace

3

: tag line

4

a

: something (as a marker) used for identification

specifically : hangtag

b

: a part of a computer file that controls the format or layout of a document or that indicates a hyperlink (as "〈it〉" to indicate italic type)

tag

2 of 4 verb

tagged; tagging

1

: to provide or mark with or as if with a tag

2

: to follow closely and continuously

3

: label entry 2 sense 3

tag

3 of 4 noun

1

: a game in which one player who is it chases the others and tries to touch one of them to make that person it

2

: an act or instance of tagging a runner in baseball

tag

4 of 4 verb

tagged; tagging

1

: to touch in a game of tag

2

: to put out (a runner) in baseball by touching with the ball or with the gloved hand holding the ball

Etymology

Noun

Middle English tagge "a hanging piece of loose cloth"; of Germanic origin

Noun

origin unknown

Medical Definition

tag

1 of 2 noun

ˈtag 

1

a

: a shred of flesh or muscle

b

: a small abnormal projecting piece of tissue especially when potentially or actually neoplastic in character

2

: label

tag

2 of 2 transitive verb

tagged; tagging

: label

tagged antibodies