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
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Recent Examples of rags
Literary Hub, 24 Apr. 2026
That means shaking dusters outside to release particles, and washing rags in the washing machine along with a disinfecting solution of bleach or vinegar.
—Elizabeth Brownfield, Southern Living, 23 Apr. 2026
Through the years, the NFL has been a boon for the rags-to-riches tale.
—Michael Marot, Chicago Tribune, 20 Apr. 2026
That collaboration continued on the sketch series SCTV and in the mockumentaries of Christopher Guest, and culminated with her Emmy-winning portrayal of riches-to-rags matriarch Moira Rose on Schitt's Creek.
—Mekishana Pierre, Entertainment Weekly, 7 Apr. 2026
Another common mistake is using paper towels or regular rags, which can leave lint behind.
—Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Miami Herald, 30 Mar. 2026
Skeleton drills with rags hanging from their shorts.
—Nick Canepa, San Diego Union-Tribune, 28 Mar. 2026
Damp rags on the prep counters had no detectable sanitizer.
—Sacbee.com, 20 Mar. 2026
This is a Horatio Alger-style rags-to-riches, hooray-for-capitalism parable for a generation that has no idea who Horatio Alger was.
—Leslie Felperin, HollywoodReporter, 18 Mar. 2026
Noun
Even on days when no one was bleeding and there were no damp rags in the corner, a stale odor remained, as if our blood had become its own animal, a fifth inhabitant of the room.
—Literary Hub, 24 Apr. 2026
That means shaking dusters outside to release particles, and washing rags in the washing machine along with a disinfecting solution of bleach or vinegar.
—Elizabeth Brownfield, Southern Living, 23 Apr. 2026
Through the years, the NFL has been a boon for the rags-to-riches tale.
—Michael Marot, Chicago Tribune, 20 Apr. 2026
That collaboration continued on the sketch series SCTV and in the mockumentaries of Christopher Guest, and culminated with her Emmy-winning portrayal of riches-to-rags matriarch Moira Rose on Schitt's Creek.
—Mekishana Pierre, Entertainment Weekly, 7 Apr. 2026
Another common mistake is using paper towels or regular rags, which can leave lint behind.
—Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Miami Herald, 30 Mar. 2026
Skeleton drills with rags hanging from their shorts.
—Nick Canepa, San Diego Union-Tribune, 28 Mar. 2026
Damp rags on the prep counters had no detectable sanitizer.
—Sacbee.com, 20 Mar. 2026
This is a Horatio Alger-style rags-to-riches, hooray-for-capitalism parable for a generation that has no idea who Horatio Alger was.
—Leslie Felperin, HollywoodReporter, 18 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rags
Verb
-
Or tie scolds to the ducking stool again.—
Annie Lowrey,
The Atlantic,
28 Apr. 2026
-
McMahon likes to remind scolds that wrestling is a morality play.—
Zach Helfand,
New Yorker,
20 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Browse the traditional and contemporary clothing, learn about their relevance, and seize the chance to inspect them closely.—
Regina Zumarraga,
Travel + Leisure,
27 Apr. 2026
-
Regularly washing produce, cleaning household dust, and choosing natural fibers like cotton, wool, and linen over synthetic clothing can further minimize exposure.—
Editorial,
Boston Herald,
27 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
When not writing, May frequently lectures on the politics and policies of mass incarceration for university classes, academic conferences, and online events.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
8 Apr. 2026
-
With me, my wife lectures me more than my children.—
Raechal Shewfelt,
Entertainment Weekly,
4 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Instead of a usual tuxedo, the attire consists of a black tail coat, a waistcoat and a white bow tie.—
Kevin Liptak,
CNN Money,
28 Apr. 2026
-
As for Tom’s surprise appearance at the country music festival, the actor kept his attire casual, opting for blue jeans, a tan jacket and a hat.—
Brian Anthony Hernandez,
PEOPLE,
27 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
His supervisor appears as a ticket conductor and reprimands him for doing nothing.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
15 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
The dress was Christian Dior haute couture, according to White House press pool reporting.—
Kathryn Palmer,
USA Today,
29 Apr. 2026
-
The dress was paired with an amethyst and diamond necklace gifted to Queen Victoria and then passed to Queen Mary, the BBC reported.—
Stephanie Nolasco,
FOXNews.com,
29 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Rags.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rags. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
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