What does "sag" mean?
The state of sinking or bending; a droop.
Sag
/sæɡ/ name, noun, phrase, verb, slang
name, noun, phrase, verb, slang ·Common ·Middle school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: The state of sinking or bending; a droop.
- Grammar: sag is listed as name, noun, phrase, verb, slang.
- Nearest alternatives: droop, abate, ablate, arch.
- Useful contrasts: grow, improvement, increase.
- Usage evidence: A heavy load is causing the plank to sag in the middle.
How to use "sag"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "sag" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "sag" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "sag" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "sag" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "sag" is acting as name, noun, phrase, verb, slang in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "droop" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "sag", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 The state of sinking or bending; a droop. countable, uncountable
- 2 Alternative form of saag. alt-of, alternative, uncountable, usually
"The dal tarka (£5) is made from whole yellow split peas, while sag aloo (£5) brings potatoes in a rich and oily spinach puree."
- 3 Initialism of straight-acting gay. abbreviation, alt-of, initialism
- 4 Clipping of Sagittarius. abbreviation, alt-of, clipping, informal
"For example, a Sag girl living on a farm could pick and chop cotton better than her brothers."
- 5 a shape that sags wordnet
Show 3 more definitions
- 6 The difference in elevation of a wire, cable, chain or rope suspended between two consecutive points. countable, uncountable
- 7 The difference in height or depth between the vertex and the rim of a curved surface, specifically used for optical elements such as a mirror or lens. countable, uncountable
- 8 A place where the surface (of a seat, the earth, etc) sinks or droops, like a depression or a dip in a ridge. countable, uncountable
"a mass of igneous rock […] shown as a semicircular area of shonkinite exposed in the west wall of the sag. From the valley below, it appears as a dark cliff, perhaps 100 feet in height and a few hundred yards long."
Verb
- 1 To sink, in the middle, by its weight or under applied pressure, below a horizontal line or plane.
"A line or cable supported by its ends sags, even if it is tightly drawn."
- 2 droop, sink, or settle from or as if from pressure or loss of tautness wordnet
- 3 To lean, give way, or settle from a vertical position. broadly
"A building may sag one way or another."
- 4 cause to sag wordnet
- 5 To lose firmness, elasticity, vigor, or a thriving state; to sink; to droop; to flag; to bend; to yield, as the mind or spirits, under the pressure of care, trouble, doubt, or the like; to be unsettled or unbalanced. figuratively
"The mind I sway by, and the heart I bear, / Shall never sag with doubt nor shake with fear."
Show 4 more definitions
- 6 To loiter in walking; to idle along; to drag or droop heavily.
- 7 To cause to bend or give way; to load. transitive
- 8 To wear one's trousers so that their top is well below the waist. informal
- 9 To pull down someone else's pants as a prank. Canada, informal
Phrase
- 1 Initialism of Saint Anthony guide. abbreviation, alt-of, initialism
Proper Noun
- 1 Acronym of Screen Actors Guild. abbreviation, acronym, alt-of
- 2 Alternative letter-case form of SAG (“Screen Actors Guild”). alt-of
"The use of AI in the production of film and television – either to write scripts, generate actors’ likenesses, or cut corners in paying creative work, has been a major point of contention in negotiations between the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) and Sag and the Writers Guild of America (WGA)."
Antonyms
Example
"A heavy load is causing the plank to sag in the middle."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "sag"?
Common synonyms include: droop, abate, ablate, arch, bag, basin.
How do you use "sag" in a sentence?
A heavy load is causing the plank to sag in the middle.
How do you pronounce "sag"?
Pronounced /sæɡ/.
Etymology
From late Middle English saggen, probably of North Germanic/Scandinavian/Old Norse origin, akin to Old Norse sokkva (“to sink”), from a denasalized derivative of Proto-Germanic *sinkwaną (“to sink”). Compare Norwegian Nynorsk sagga (“move slowly”)); probably akin to Danish and Norwegian sakke, Swedish sacka, Icelandic sakka. Compare also Dutch zakken and German sacken (from Low German).
More for "sag"
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