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

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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

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 rags
Noun
Three to four rags were in chemical sanitizer bucket at a concentration of < 150 ppm quat. — Nwa Democrat-Gazette, Arkansas Online, 19 Oct. 2026 Joan Crawford’s rags-to-riches real-life story is the stuff of Hollywood legend. — Megan Johnson, Architectural Digest, 14 Oct. 2026 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 Andreotti would cool off in the shower, use wet rags and sometimes lay on the concrete floor. — ABC News, 30 Sep. 2026 Sunlight naturally sanitizes and refreshes fabrics; reusable cleaning rags reduce waste and can replace paper towels. — Mary Cornetta, Better Homes & Gardens, 29 Sep. 2026 According to Cara Robertson’s 2019 book The Trial of Lizzie Borden, her defense team struggled to thread the needle between explaining the bloody rags without offering the prosecution a new lane to discredit her. — Elisabeth Garber-Paul, Rolling Stone, 23 Sep. 2026 From SheetsGate to purposefully washing Joy’s uniforms with rags, the laundry room has unleashed something deranged in Gen. — Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 22 Sep. 2026 Instead, New York officials recommended that people clean their own apartments with wet mops and wet rags and if possible with vacuum cleaners with HEPA filters. — Brenda Goodman, CNN Money, 19 Sep. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rags
  1. clothing
  2. scolds
  3. attire
  4. lectures
  5. dress
  6. reprimands
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
Verb
  • Some intergenerational sparring ensues, as Kevin scolds Arthur for his more outré boomer comments, and Arthur in turn sneers at his grandson’s millennial lameness.
    — Jessica Kiang, Variety, 19 Aug. 2026
  • The audience screams in response, and Scovel scolds them again but this time with a smile.
    — Kathryn VanArendonk, Vulture, 11 Aug. 2026
Definition of scolds
Noun
  • Hiding his Caesar cut under his signature New York Yankees cap and adorned with a glittery stack of gold chains, JAY-Z kept his setlist as tight as his concert attire of bulletproof vests.
    — Adelle Platon, VIBE.com, 24 Oct. 2026
  • So Wednesday, her parents — Joe and Jennie — showed up to districts in protect-women's-sports attire to honor their daughter's courage.
    — Matt Calkins OutKick, FOXNews.com, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of attire
Verb
  • Often, the pincher is in the company of an elder who lectures to her.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 29 Sep. 2026
  • Professors structure lectures with an awareness of how a sentence might circulate online.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 22 Sep. 2026
Definition of lectures
Noun
  • Sparkling metallic accents and starry motifs light up a halter dress, a sophisticated pajama pantsuit or a sheer chiffon gown with billowing sleeves, and sequins shine on a short sleeveless dress through a festive lens.
    — Luisa Zargani, Footwear News, 21 Oct. 2026
  • Well, that Attersee dress—last April or something, the alert popped up.
    — Marisa Meltzer, Vanity Fair, 21 Oct. 2026
Definition of dress
Verb
  • Being a fly on the wall is precisely what Hard Knocks makes viewers feel like in the moment when Head Coach Mike Macdonald reprimands linebacker Derick Hall for getting too close to a quarterback.
    — Armando Tinoco, Deadline, 1 Sep. 2026
  • The emperor reprimands her for being late for the rainmaking ritual.
    — Lavender Au, The Dial, 30 June 2026
Definition of reprimands

Phrases Containing rags

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ragouts
rags
rags on
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Cite this Entry

“Rags.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rags. Accessed 28 Oct. 2026.

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