rag

1 of 5

noun (1)

ˈrag

Synonyms of rag next

: a waste piece of cloth

rags plural : clothes usually in poor or ragged condition

: clothing

the rag trade

: something resembling a rag

: newspaper

especially : a sleazy newspaper

rag

2 of 5

noun (2)

: any of various hard rocks

: a large roofing slate that is rough on one side

rag

3 of 5

verb

ragged ˈragd

; ragging

transitive verb

: to rail at : scold

: torment, tease

rag

4 of 5

noun (3)

chiefly British

: an outburst of boisterous fun

also : prank

rag

5 of 5

noun (4)

: a composition in ragtime

Phrases

rag on

: to make fun of

Examples of rag in a Sentence

Noun (1) the local rag publishes more gossip than news the girls showed up at the prom wearing their most elegant rags Verb several readers called in to rag the editor for his paper's repeated grammatical lapses Noun (3) a collegiate rag that nearly got him sent down from Oxford

Recent Examples on the Web

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.

Noun

For disinfecting pruning shears between plants, use 70% rubbing alcohol, either sprayed or applied thoroughly with a rag. —

Andy Wilcox, Better Homes & Gardens, 4 Jan. 2025 To clean the interior, use a vacuum attachment to remove crumbs, then wipe them out with the same rag. —

Heather Bien, Southern Living, 28 Dec. 2024

Verb

Bill Skarsgård is absolutely marvelous in the role, his breath ragged, his thick Romanian accent at once menacing and more than a little preposterous. —

Erik Kain, Forbes, 29 Dec. 2024 The Talib looked as ragged as his outpost, a trailer banked on a snowy mountain pass. —

Azam Ahmed, New York Times, 28 Dec. 2024 See all Example Sentences for rag

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

Middle English ragge, from Old English *ragg, from Old Norse rǫgg tuft, shagginess

Noun (2)

Middle English ragge

Verb

origin unknown

Noun (4)

short for ragtime

First Known Use

Noun (1)

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Noun (2)

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1739, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun (3)

1825, in the meaning defined above

Noun (4)

1881, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler

The first known use of rag was in the 14th century

See more words from the same century

Cite this Entry

Style

“Rag.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rag. Accessed 18 Jan. 2025.

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Kids Definition

rag

1 of 3 noun

ˈrag

: a waste or worn piece of cloth

plural : shabby or very worn clothing

dressed in rags

: newspaper

especially : a low quality newspaper

rag

2 of 3 verb

ragged; ragging

: to rail at : scold

: torment sense 2, tease

rag

3 of 3 noun

: a composition in ragtime

Etymology

Verb

origin unknown

Last Updated: 17 Jan 2025 - Updated example sentences

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rag

noun (1)

noun (2)

verb

noun (3)

noun (4)

Synonyms

Examples of rag in a Sentence

Word History

Dictionary Entries Near rag

Cite this Entry

Kids Definition