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
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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
Karen Garcia, Los Angeles Times, 20 Mar. 2025
Revealed by Deadline several months back, The Lady charts the rise and fall of former royal dresser Andrews, whose rags to riches fairytale fell apart when she was convicted of murder.
—Max Goldbart, Deadline, 19 Mar. 2025
Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 13 Mar. 2025
By then, her voice had worn ragged — lower in pitch, rougher in tone, better suited for more sophisticated songs.
—Robert Levine, Billboard, 1 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for rag
Noun
Avoid letting the polluted outside air in by placing damp rags at the bottoms of doors or windows.
—Karen Garcia, Los Angeles Times, 20 Mar. 2025
Revealed by Deadline several months back, The Lady charts the rise and fall of former royal dresser Andrews, whose rags to riches fairytale fell apart when she was convicted of murder.
—Max Goldbart, Deadline, 19 Mar. 2025
Verb
Photos provided by Niğde representatives show the mummy with its arms crossed and placed on a bed of sheets and ragged cardboard.
—Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 13 Mar. 2025
By then, her voice had worn ragged — lower in pitch, rougher in tone, better suited for more sophisticated songs.
—Robert Levine, Billboard, 1 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for rag
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rag
Verb
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The White House was reprimanded: A federal judge scolded the Trump administration for failing to try to return the man.—
Cate Martel,
The Hill,
16 Apr. 2025
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In Congress, Trump’s Tariff Pullback Sparks Relief, Frustration, and Suspicion At the White House, press secretary Karoline Leavitt scolded reporters for not understanding the president’s plans.—
Time,
Time,
10 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Conor Heffernan, who lectures on the history of sports and fitness at Ulster University, in Ireland, said the current vogue for biohacking, and its protein boosterism, reeks of snake oil.—
Hannah Goldfield,
New Yorker,
21 Apr. 2025
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Her quotidian life was lecturing at a college in Aberdeen, close to where she was born, and the travel and mountaineering a teacher’s schedule enables.—
Sadie Stein,
New York Times,
6 Apr. 2025
Verb
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And when no one was fired or even reprimanded for the FUBAR, the accountability Hegseth promised had seemingly gone AWOL.—
S.E. Cupp,
New York Daily News,
23 Apr. 2025
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Rourke was formally reprimanded by the show and ultimately booted from the house.—
Mikelle Street,
Them.,
23 Apr. 2025
Verb
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And even in his case, Hunt has done his best work at guard and didn’t become the solution at tackle that some envisioned (for reasons for which he shouldn’t be blamed).—
Barry Jackson,
Miami Herald,
25 Apr. 2025
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Californians can blame the commissioner’s good intentions.—
Max Taves,
Mercury News,
25 Apr. 2025
Verb
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The end of the parole program is part of Trump’s crackdown on legal immigration paths that allow people to temporarily come to the U.S. Republicans also criticized the parole program as an overreach and abuse of executive presidential power.—
Jay Weaver,
Miami Herald,
15 Apr. 2025
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Progressives are criticizing tariffs for boosting prices and triggering international chaos.—
Alexis Simendinger,
The Hill,
14 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Rag.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rag. Accessed 30 Apr. 2025.
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