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

The series translates the world of Asian male pageantry into a rags-to-riches competition format. — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 3 Sep. 2026

Parton’s rags-to-riches tale reads like a classic country music story-song. — Rj Smith, Los Angeles Times, 25 Aug. 2026

The family soon moved to a one-bedroom cabin in the nearby town of Locust Ridge, a dwelling that figures proudly in Parton’s rags-to-riches lore. — Jordan Hoffman, Vanity Fair, 25 Aug. 2026

Her mother creates the child a coat from rags, which draws criticism from her classmates — but through the picture book’s journey, the girl realizes just how kind her mother’s action was. — Rachel Raposas, PEOPLE, 25 Aug. 2026

Storage shelves, recycling, boxes of holiday decor, old rags, birdseed, and garden and yard tools stored in the garage provide nooks and crannies where mice can satisfy their hunger, hide, and stay warm. — Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 17 Aug. 2026

The group’s rags to riches story and music was depicted and celebrated in the hit Broadway stage musical Jersey Boys and its subsequent 2014 film adaptation directed by Clint Eastwood. — Greg Evans, Deadline, 15 Aug. 2026

During her riches-to-rags period in the mid-1990s, fame dwindled as did her circle of friends. — Kathleen Perricone, Entertainment Weekly, 14 Aug. 2026

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

Phrases Containing rags

• glad rags