1
as in newspaper
a publication that appears at regular intervals
the local rag publishes more gossip than news
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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
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
Louise Parks, Martha Stewart, 21 Jan. 2026
Fernando Mendoza bulldozed his way into the end zone and Indiana bullied its way into the history books Monday night, toppling Miami 27-21 to put the finishing touch on a rags-to-riches story, an undefeated season and the national title.
—Arkansas Online, 20 Jan. 2026
Matthew Jacobs, Vulture, 25 Dec. 2025
But now in the gossip rags, his parents are out complaining about it.
—Wesley Stenzel, Entertainment Weekly, 2 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for rag
Noun
Wrap the spigot or nearby pipes with towels or rags.
—Louise Parks, Martha Stewart, 21 Jan. 2026
Fernando Mendoza bulldozed his way into the end zone and Indiana bullied its way into the history books Monday night, toppling Miami 27-21 to put the finishing touch on a rags-to-riches story, an undefeated season and the national title.
—Arkansas Online, 20 Jan. 2026
Verb
Paltrow is so compellingly human — which is to say ragged and unpredictable — as a flighty drug addict who befriends an infatuated neighbor (Joaquin Phoenix) while dating a married man (Elias Koteas).
—Matthew Jacobs, Vulture, 25 Dec. 2025
But now in the gossip rags, his parents are out complaining about it.
—Wesley Stenzel, Entertainment Weekly, 2 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for rag
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rag
Verb
-
The president himself scolded a New York Times reporter for asking about the cost and whether Amazon was seeking to get in his good graces.—
Ted Johnson,
Deadline,
29 Jan. 2026
-
Crucially, the film avoids the trap of scolding younger generations or romanticizing the past.—
Beandrea July,
IndieWire,
28 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
In her car, Jessica Gabriel’s Lady is an avid listener of DJ Revolution, a fictional radio DJ who lectures passionately about the struggles of modern-day life in Nigeria.—
Zac Ntim,
Deadline,
22 Jan. 2026
-
At her event, Acosta will lecture and facilitate a discussion about the Jeanes Supervisors.—
Raisa Habersham,
Miami Herald,
21 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
His supervisor appears as a ticket conductor and reprimands him for doing nothing.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
15 Jan. 2026
-
So far, none of the agents involved in the shootings has been publicly suspended or reprimanded.—
Christopher Cann,
USA Today,
14 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
In a comparable case in the United States in 2023, a federal judge imposed $5,000 fines on two lawyers and a law firm after ChatGPT was blamed for their submission of fictitious legal research in an aviation injury claim.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
27 Jan. 2026
-
That leaves them out of pocket, at risk of reputational damage and in danger of losing customers who blame them, rather than the cloud services provider, for the problem.—
David Prosser,
Forbes.com,
27 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
In a letter to House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer (R-KY), the Clintons criticized the committee for dismissing previous subpoenas issued to seven other witnesses on the matter of Epstein.—
Jenny Goldsberry,
The Washington Examiner,
2 Feb. 2026
-
The powerful Murdoch media empire has been the source of criticism from Democrats for years, particularly in New York City, where the New York Post has relentlessly criticized, mocked, and uncovered negative stories about its Democratic mayors and politicians.—
Max Tani,
semafor.com,
2 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Rag.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rag. Accessed 2 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
