rag 1 of 3

noun (1)

ˈrag How to pronounce rag (audio)
Definition of ragnext
1
as in newspaper
a publication that appears at regular intervals the local rag publishes more gossip than news

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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

rag

2 of 3

noun (2)

chiefly British
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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rag

3 of 3

verb

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
Noun
Their family friction and riches-to-rags plight ups the comic and dramatic ante, as the Wangs encounter the very different day-to-day lives of other Americans on their cross-country journey. — Literary Hub, 17 Sep. 2026 These angular hooks are especially useful for gripping onto bathroom towels or kitchen rags. — Audrey Lee, Architectural Digest, 11 Sep. 2026
Verb
The city in the book is a strange hodgepodge of affluence and poverty, of shiny new shops and ragged old ruins. — Becca Rothfeld, New Yorker, 27 Apr. 2026 If the edges look ragged with tan or white tips, your mower blade is at fault. — Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 24 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for rag
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rag
  1. newspaper
  2. clothing
  3. prank
  4. scold
  5. periodical
  6. threads
  7. trick
  8. lecture
Noun
  • The poll found his approval had declined by 5 points since the newspaper’s previous surveys in four of the states in June.
    — Rena Rowe, The Washington Examiner, 3 Oct. 2026
  • The British newspaper are co-producers of the movie, which is directed by Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor.
    — K.J. Yossman, Variety, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of newspaper
Noun
  • Primark said 39 percent of its clothing units sold in its most recent financial year contained recycled fibers, up from 32 percent in the prior year.
    — Rhonda Richford, Footwear News, 28 Sep. 2026
  • Amazon is always chock-full of deals on seasonal clothing, multifunctional cleaning tools, and buzzy beauty products, but Prime members can unlock even more savings.
    — Toni Sutton, PEOPLE, 28 Sep. 2026
Definition of clothing
Noun
  • Over at Team Mauve’s house, the prank starts falling into place when Green and his teammates Jodie Sweetin and Beverley Mitchell get a knock on the door regarding a pizza delivery.
    — Natalia Senanayake, PEOPLE, 24 Sep. 2026
  • The Muskego Police Department is warning Muskego High School students about consequences of pranks causing damage after the department received over 20 complaints in less than two weeks.
    — Alec Johnson, jsonline.com, 22 Sep. 2026
Definition of prank
Verb
  • The Amazon Prime Video broadcasters all considered the male Fever fan guilty before details of what actually happened came out, scolding him on air for his behavior.
    — Jon Root OutKick, FOXNews.com, 30 Sep. 2026
  • Tired of Luann’s antics already, Porsha chats with the other women during it, and Luann doesn’t just yell at her from the stage but walks into the crowd to scold her face-to-face into the microphone.
    — Tom Smyth, Vulture, 28 Sep. 2026
Definition of scold
Noun
  • Operating for nearly a century, Algani began in 1927 as a modest seller of newspapers, periodicals, and postcards before evolving into one of the city’s first international newsstands.
    — Eleonora Giordani, Vogue, 17 Sep. 2026
  • People who might be lucky to have a roof over their heads gathered there to read American books and periodicals, watch American movies, listen to lectures about America, tap their toes to jazz from America.
    — Ian Buruma, New Yorker, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of periodical
Noun
  • One task asked an agent to redline a statement of work using a 160-file data room, 21 emails across nine threads, and four meeting notes.
    — Wen Shao, Fortune, 1 Oct. 2026
  • Actress Emma Watson was spotted in Tokyo sporting Uniqlo threads, and Oscar-winner Cate Blanchett is a brand ambassador.
    — Howard Cohen, Miami Herald, 1 Oct. 2026
Definition of threads
Noun
  • How modular workstation sinks work A workstation sink looks like a standard basin at first glance, but the walls hide the trick.
    — Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Charlotte Observer, 1 Oct. 2026
  • With each trick and tactic, companies are reinventing the ripoff right under our noses.
    — Lindsay Owens, Washington Post, 1 Oct. 2026
Definition of trick
Verb
  • The following May, Rogers accepted an invitation from Lee to lecture at two universities in China.
    — Eamon Javers, CNBC, 30 Sep. 2026
  • Often, the pincher is in the company of an elder who lectures to her.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 29 Sep. 2026
Definition of lecture

Phrases Containing rag

Browse Nearby Words

rafts
rag
ragamuffin
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Cite this Entry

“Rag.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rag. Accessed 4 Oct. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on rag

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about rag

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