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
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
Maria Sabella, The Spruce, 7 Apr. 2026
That collaboration continued on the sketch series SCTV and in the mockumentaries of Christopher Guest, and culminated with her Emmy-winning portrayal of riches-to-rags matriarch Moira Rose on Schitt's Creek.
—Mekishana Pierre, Entertainment Weekly, 7 Apr. 2026
Peg Aloi, The Spruce, 8 Mar. 2026
First, use a brush or rag to remove all loose soil particles from tools and pots.
—Megan Hughes, Better Homes & Gardens, 18 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for rag
Noun
For hard-to-reach windows, use the Swiffer sweeper and for smaller windows or ones that are within easy reach, use the dry pad in place of a regular cleaning rag.
—Maria Sabella, The Spruce, 7 Apr. 2026
That collaboration continued on the sketch series SCTV and in the mockumentaries of Christopher Guest, and culminated with her Emmy-winning portrayal of riches-to-rags matriarch Moira Rose on Schitt's Creek.
—Mekishana Pierre, Entertainment Weekly, 7 Apr. 2026
Verb
Each leaves different clues like slime trails, ragged edges, or missing buds.
—Peg Aloi, The Spruce, 8 Mar. 2026
First, use a brush or rag to remove all loose soil particles from tools and pots.
—Megan Hughes, Better Homes & Gardens, 18 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for rag
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rag
Verb
-
McMahon likes to remind scolds that wrestling is a morality play.—
Zach Helfand,
New Yorker,
20 Apr. 2026
-
Leon scolded Justice Department attorneys for arguing that the entire project needed to go forward for national security reasons, before previously distinguishing between the bunker below ground and the ballroom above ground.—
Ted Johnson,
Deadline,
16 Apr. 2026
Verb
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One cheeky Instagram Reel sees the two sitting across from each other at a table as Bradford pretended to lecture Brunette.—
Zoey Lyttle,
PEOPLE,
20 Apr. 2026
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Should the guy who spends his spare time dodging bullets really be lecturing him on death wishes?—
Maggie Fremont,
Vulture,
17 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Additionally, Cox reprimanded CalPERS in the decision, writing that staff members acted unprofessionally throughout the hearing and failed to provide evidence supporting CalPERS’ claims.—
William Melhado,
Sacbee.com,
14 Apr. 2026
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House members are able to act individually to bypass leadership and force action on privileged resolutions to reprimand each other, such as censure and expulsion.—
Emily Brooks,
The Hill,
13 Apr. 2026
Verb
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In response to industry commentators blaming aggressive patent litigation for companies disabling HEVC support, Nokia’s rep said that third-party streaming services and hardware wouldn’t work as expected without Nokia’s research and development.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
20 Apr. 2026
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Who one blames depends on their politics.—
Kate Linthicum,
Los Angeles Times,
20 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Wolves coach Chris Finch criticized his team’s lack of composure.—
Bennett Durando,
Denver Post,
19 Apr. 2026
-
One of the easier things to do is criticize without offering solutions.—
Letters to the Editor,
The Orlando Sentinel,
19 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Rag.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rag. Accessed 25 Apr. 2026.
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