Synonyms of rags

rags 1 of 2

noun

plural of rag

as in clothes

covering for the human body

the girls showed up at the prom wearing their most elegant rags

Synonyms & Similar Words

• clothes
• clothing
• attire
• garments
• dress
• apparel
• wear
• threads
• raiment
• garb
• vestments
• weeds
• toggery
• costume
• duds
• vesture
• gear
• livery
• togs
• rigging
• costumery
• clobber
• rig
• wearables
• habit
• finery
• vestiary
• wardrobe
• outfit
• tatters
• habiliment(s)
• regalia
• underwear
• guise
• couture
• trumpery
• pretties
• ensemble
• tawdry
• glad rags
• frippery
• frock
• trim
• underclothes
• bravery
• foofaraw
• caparison
• civvies
• tailoring
• garderobe
• getup
• smallclothes
• nightclothes
• sportswear
• gaiety
• haberdashery
• outerwear
• mufti
• ready-to-wear
• array
• gaudery
• sleepwear
• loungewear
• menswear
• playwear
• activewear
• prêt-à-porter

rags

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of rag

as in scolds

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

• scolds
• lectures
• reprimands
• jaws
• blames
• criticizes
• upbraids
• scores
• bawls out
• hammers
• flays
• berates
• calls down
• bastes
• reproaches
• reams (out)
• faults
• rails (at or against)
• lays into
• admonishes
• dresses down
• castigates
• chastises
• mocks
• rants (at)
• attacks
• rebukes
• reads the riot act (to)
• rates
• takes to task
• tongue-lashes
• lambastes
• keelhauls
• pans
• chews out
• scourges
• harangues
• lashes
• reviles
• crucifies
• excoriates
• abuses
• chides
• slams
• remonstrates (with)
• disparages
• knocks
• vituperates
• condemns
• reproves
• denounces
• reprehends
• ridicules
• blasts
• bad-mouths
• laces (into)
• assails
• scoffs
• scorns
• censures
• belittles
• disses
• puts down

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• approves
• endorses
• sanctions
• praises
• extols
• lauds

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of rags

Noun

Wilson, 78, brings a rags-to-riches success story to the race. — Jake Sheridan, Chicago Tribune, 5 Aug. 2026

The whole busker-to-recording star has a filmic rags-to-riches quality even before Hansard meta-ishly embodied it in the film. — Steven Zeitchik, HollywoodReporter, 3 Aug. 2026

Greasy or oily rags can ignite in the dryer due to heat buildup and flammable residue. — Mary Marlowe Leverette, The Spruce, 2 Aug. 2026

Critics online have described restrictions on du-rags and bonnets as respectability politics that unfairly target clothing associated with Black culture. — Eric MacK, FOXNews.com, 2 Aug. 2026

According to Cruz, the best way to maintain lower overall levels of dust accumulation in the home is by employing microfiber cloths over feather dusters or regular rags. — Louise Parks, Martha Stewart, 27 July 2026

Fares, 68, has a rags-to-riches story not uncommon in Lebanon. — Jane Arraf, NPR, 26 July 2026

That video shows three boys scrubbing the floor and walls of a room in the school with rags as Morrison shouts commands and admonishments. — Jennifer Smith Richards, ProPublica, 24 July 2026

At the start of this World Cup, there was concern that many of the new teams – some of which had never played a World Cup match – would be used as dust rags for the world powers. — Mark Sappenfield, Christian Science Monitor, 10 July 2026

Phrases Containing rags

• glad rags