rag 1 of 3

noun (1)

ˈrag How to pronounce rag (audio)
Definition of ragnext
1
as in newspaper
a publication that appears at regular intervals the local rag publishes more gossip than news

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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

Synonyms & Similar Words

rag

2 of 3

noun (2)

chiefly British
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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rag

3 of 3

verb

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
Noun
Drawn from the Times or local rags, the cutouts sometimes included images; others were just bits of text from the news or obituary sections. — Ryan Sullivan, Artforum, 1 Oct. 2026 Here was my chance to get out of London, this counterfeit of death with its everywhere rage and its moribund culture and its smug population and its streets steeped in resentment and the sky pressing down like a chloroform rag. — Literary Hub, 1 Oct. 2026
Verb
The city in the book is a strange hodgepodge of affluence and poverty, of shiny new shops and ragged old ruins. — Becca Rothfeld, New Yorker, 27 Apr. 2026 If the edges look ragged with tan or white tips, your mower blade is at fault. — Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 24 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for rag
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rag
  1. newspaper
  2. clothing
  3. prank
  4. scold
  5. periodical
  6. threads
  7. trick
  8. lecture
Noun
  • All but one mainstream newspaper have criticized the revisions, and media surveys show a large majority of the public support female monarchs or maternal-line succession.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 24 Oct. 2026
  • Some Ukrainian officials told the newspaper that the system had not been restored to full functionality but was working at higher speeds than under the cap.
    — Reuters, NBC news, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of newspaper
Noun
  • The rise of cheaper fashion and athletic clothing subsequently put pressure on premium denim.
    — Tatiana Sataua, Fortune, 25 Oct. 2026
  • Thrifting, attending clothing swaps and raiding friends' and family members' closets are all ways to avoid buying new costumes.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 24 Oct. 2026
Definition of clothing
Noun
  • Eric André and Schulz were always making jokes and filming prank videos.
    — Brian Davids, HollywoodReporter, 23 Oct. 2026
  • Prosecutors say Canadian visitor Mitchell Fairbarn took Peachy from the Flamingo Las Vegas habitat in a drunk prank and injured the bird; his lawyer says Fairbarn never intended harm.
    — Jessica Hill, Los Angeles Times, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of prank
Verb
  • But leaders seeking to encourage tourism scolded residents who warned of the danger on social media.
    — Abe Streep, ProPublica, 21 Oct. 2026
  • From behind a tree, Neil and Florence observed Brenda scolding little Neil.
    — S. M. Reznik, New Yorker, 19 Oct. 2026
Definition of scold
Noun
  • Declonius Peck, its beloved editor-in-chief, has gone to prison for embezzlement, and his evil twin, Salton, has assumed management of the family business, along with the 39 editors who curate the periodical.
    — Leigh Haber, Los Angeles Times, 13 Oct. 2026
  • When word spread that the Chief Librarian of the Army was paying a visit, soldiers rushed to request their favorite periodicals and book genres.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of periodical
Noun
  • Trying to work with this synergic supervision is like reading welding advice threads on Reddit.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 22 Oct. 2026
  • The special also weaves together threads about Harouni’s Arab heritage, a surprising family DNA test, and the death of the show’s director Adam Brace, who passed away suddenly during its creation.
    — Matt Grobar, Deadline, 21 Oct. 2026
Definition of threads
Noun
  • Today, our constructor has reached into his evidently limitless bag of tricks to pull out a doozy of a Thursday grid.
    — Sean McGowan, New York Times, 22 Oct. 2026
  • The subtle, but unmistakable, undercurrent of apple sweetness struck me as a bit of a magic trick in a bread that, otherwise, to the eye and hand was just a soft white loaf.
    — Noah Kaufman, Bon Appetit Magazine, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of trick
Verb
  • At a time when everyone is asking where men fit in, this film doesn’t lecture.
    — Annika Pham, Variety, 19 Oct. 2026
  • Respondents in England and Australia were more likely to associate teaching with institutional, credentialed and paid professional roles, such as nursing, lecturing and social work.
    — Gustavo E. Fischman, Fortune, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of lecture

Phrases Containing rag

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rafts
rag
ragamuffin
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Cite this Entry

“Rag.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rag. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

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Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about rag

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