as in clothes
covering for the human body
the girls showed up at the prom wearing their most elegant rags
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Recent Examples of rags
Evan Moore, Charlotte Observer, 5 Feb. 2026
Wrap it in towels or rags and carefully pour hot water over the area to thaw it.
—Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 5 Feb. 2026
Bee Cave Bob arrived in a crate lined with shirts and rags.
—Ana Gutierrez, Austin American Statesman, 3 Feb. 2026
Cleaning and Organizational Supplies Keep an eye out for unused kitchen linens and old beach towels that can be cut up and used as rags.
—Ashley Poskin, Martha Stewart, 1 Feb. 2026
Stuff towels or rags in any cracks under doors or near windows.
—Lillian Metzmeier, Louisville Courier Journal, 29 Jan. 2026
New England is proof rags-to-riches is still a thing in the NFL.
—Greg Cote
january 26, Miami Herald, 26 Jan. 2026
Like them, its rags-to-riches-to-near-ruin storytelling is simplistic, the celluloid craftsmanship B-grade, the acting nothing to write home about.
—Dennis Harvey, Variety, 23 Jan. 2026
Once a laughing stock in college football, a punching bag for the likes of Ohio State and Michigan in the Big Ten, the Hoosiers’ rags-to-riches story ended perfectly.
—Ralph D. Russo, New York Times, 20 Jan. 2026
Noun
Stuff towels or rags in the cracks under doors.
—Evan Moore, Charlotte Observer, 5 Feb. 2026
Wrap it in towels or rags and carefully pour hot water over the area to thaw it.
—Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 5 Feb. 2026
Bee Cave Bob arrived in a crate lined with shirts and rags.
—Ana Gutierrez, Austin American Statesman, 3 Feb. 2026
Cleaning and Organizational Supplies Keep an eye out for unused kitchen linens and old beach towels that can be cut up and used as rags.
—Ashley Poskin, Martha Stewart, 1 Feb. 2026
Stuff towels or rags in any cracks under doors or near windows.
—Lillian Metzmeier, Louisville Courier Journal, 29 Jan. 2026
New England is proof rags-to-riches is still a thing in the NFL.
—Greg Cote
january 26, Miami Herald, 26 Jan. 2026
Like them, its rags-to-riches-to-near-ruin storytelling is simplistic, the celluloid craftsmanship B-grade, the acting nothing to write home about.
—Dennis Harvey, Variety, 23 Jan. 2026
Once a laughing stock in college football, a punching bag for the likes of Ohio State and Michigan in the Big Ten, the Hoosiers’ rags-to-riches story ended perfectly.
—Ralph D. Russo, New York Times, 20 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rags
Verb
-
While some online scolds didn’t like Johnson’s profanity, this has played well in Chicago, a city that has been ravenous for a winning Bears team since the 20th Super Bowl.—
Jon Greenberg,
New York Times,
14 Jan. 2026
-
Or on Bluesky with the joke scolds, or on Mastodon with the Linux hackers, or on Threads with the voice-forward brands?—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
17 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
Maria Francisca Machado, also 29, has taken a similar approach with her secondhand clothing shop in Lisbon, Portugal, which opened last summer.—
Leah Dolan,
CNN Money,
10 Feb. 2026
-
An undercover report by Fox11 Los Angeles indicated that women there wore very little clothing, gave lap dances and allowed customers to bring in alcohol for an additional charge.—
Alex Nitzberg,
FOXNews.com,
9 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Simon Maghakyan lectures on the 20th anniversary of the destruction of Djulfa in December 2025.—
Simon Maghakyan,
Time,
30 Jan. 2026
-
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
Noun
-
Among the accessories Queen Camilla added to her attire, the queen consort added a black statement hat with a deep green feather.—
Julia Teti,
Footwear News,
10 Feb. 2026
-
The festival gave guests 21 and older — who were encouraged to wear winter attire in blues and whites — an opportunity to visit a tarot card reader, play nostalgic carnival games, sip craft beer, snack on gourmet bites, browse a build-your-own flower bar and participate in a live auction.—
Point Loma-Ob Monthly,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
10 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
His supervisor appears as a ticket conductor and reprimands him for doing nothing.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
15 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
To have a charismatic muse like Bond at the center—dressed in a Jonathan Anderson bubble dress, no less—is only icing on the cake.—
Laura Regensdorf,
Vogue,
4 Feb. 2026
-
At least for Gen X, the definitive Catherine will always be Kate Bush, dancing across the English countryside in a bright red dress in an indelible pre-MTV music video.—
New York Times,
New York Times,
4 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Rags.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rags. Accessed 11 Feb. 2026.
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