She used a damp rag to wipe off the dust.
Source: tatoeba (312171)
Rag
/ɹæɡ/
Synonyms for "rag" (402 found)
Ranked by relevance and common usage.
Closest matches (81)
abuseacid rockact dropafterglowafterimageandanteandante tempoapparelarrayasbestosasbestos boardattireavant-garde jazzbackdropbalanceballroom musicbanterbark atbastebatten
Show 44 more words
bawl outbeatbebopbedizenmentberatebetongueblackenboltropebonesboogie woogieboogie-woogiebopborderbuttbutt endcandle endscanvascarpetchaffchewchew outclewclothclothesclothingcompound timecostumecoulissecounterweightcountry rockcringlecrowd of sailculmcurtaincurtain boardcycloramadailydaily newspaperdancedance musicdancesdeadwooddebrisdecor
Strong matches (120)
deridedetritusdishwaterdraffdraperydregsdressdressingdropdrop curtaindudsduple timedustearingendetoffeexecrateextraextra editionfabric
Show 79 more words
fag endfashionfatiguesfeathersfeltfigfilingsfire curtainflatflipperfloutfolk rockfoolfootfore-and-aft sailfossilfrockfulminate againstfungarbgarbagegarmentgarmentsgashgazettegeargibegoodsgowngrin atguisehabilimenthabithanginghard rockhazeheadhogwashhold in derisionholdoverhot jazzhusksinvestitureinvestmentjapejawjazzjeerjestjivejokejollyjoshkidlacelargolaugh atlaugh to scornleavingsleechleesleftoverslinenload with reproachesluffmainstream jazzmake fun ofmake game ofmake merry withmarch tempomaterialmixed timesmusical suitemuslinnaperynational newspaperneedleneighborhood newspapernews
Verb(15 words)
Related words (201)
newspapernewspaper of recordodds and endsoffaloffscouringsold clothesortspanpaperparingspilloryplain sailplay jazzpoint atpoke fun atpotsherdspress of sailprestopullput on
Show 147 more words
put one onrabbleragsragtimerailrail atraimentrallyrantraspingsrateraverave againstrazzreduced sailreef pointreefed sailrefuserelicsremainderremainsremnantresidueresiduumrestrevilerhythm-and-bluesribrideridiculeroachroastroberobesrockrock-and-rollroutrubatorubbishruckruinsrumpsailsawdustscenesceneryscoffscouringsscrap ironscrapsscreenscrimscumsextuple timeshadowshardsshavingssheetside scenesilksimple timeslackslagslopslopssmile atsnicker atsnigger atspecialspecial editionsportswearsquare sailstage screwstrawstubblestuffstumpstylesuitesuite of dancessurvivalsweepingsswillswingsyncopatesyncopated musicsyncopationsyncopetabtableautabloidtarestattersteaseteasertempotempo rubatotextiletextile fabrictexturethe new musicthreadsthree-quarter timethunder againsttimetime patterntimingtissutissuetogstoilettetongue lashtongue-lashtormentortracetransformationtransformation scenetrimtriple timetriplettwittwo-four timevestigevestmentvesturevilifyvituperatewaltz timewastagewastewaste matterwastepaperwearwearing apparelweavewebweedsweeklyweekly newspaperweftwingwingcutwoodcutwoofwoolyell atyelp at
Noun(16 words)
Choosing the right synonym
- Closest matches in this entry: shred, tabloid, abuse, acid rock, act drop.
- Sentence evidence is available for rag, so synonym choice can be checked against real usage rather than a flat word list.
- Ranking signals come from wordnet, opengloss, moby, derived_reverse, and related lexical sources.
Synonym selection checklist
- Match the part of speech before comparing meanings.
- Check whether the synonym changes intensity, formality, or emotional tone.
- Read the replacement inside the full sentence, not just beside "rag".
- Prefer the clearest word over the most unusual word when writing for speed or comprehension.
When not to replace "rag"
Keep "rag" when the sentence already sounds natural, when a synonym would add unintended emphasis, or when readers need the most familiar wording. A synonym should clarify or sharpen the message, not simply make the sentence look more varied.
If two options seem close, choose the one that best matches the audience and purpose of the sentence.
Replacement workflow
1. Preserve meaning
Choose a synonym only if it keeps the core idea of "rag" intact in the sentence you are editing.
2. Tune tone
Check whether the replacement sounds more formal, casual, emotional, technical, or forceful than the original word.
3. Re-read context
Read the full sentence after the swap. Keep the synonym only when the sentence becomes clearer or more precise.
Review note: Synonym lists are ranked with lexical data and reviewed for practical writing value. Use the comparison notes, sentence evidence, and source labels together; a high-ranking synonym can still be wrong when the audience, register, or grammar changes.
Final fit check
After choosing a replacement for "rag", read the sentence once for meaning and once for rhythm. The best synonym should feel natural in the full sentence, not only accurate in a word list.
If the synonym makes the sentence slower, vaguer, or more dramatic than intended, keep "rag" or choose a simpler alternative from the closest-match group.
Related word relations
OpenGloss and ConceptNet supply richer edges like generalizations, collocations, and derivations.
More general
46 entriesShowing 16 of 46 words.
More specific
10 entriesCollocations
12 entriescleaning ragdust ragold ragrag bagrag paperrag traderagged edgeragged fabricraggingragging cultureragging incidentragging policy
Inflections
3 entriesDerivations
6 entriessimilar
1 entriesSample sentences
34 total sentences available.
Don't talk to him about politics because it's like a red rag to a bull.
Source: tatoeba (567163)
He lost his rag.
Source: tatoeba (743741)
Tom cleaned the top of the table with a wet rag.
Source: tatoeba (1095262)
Showing 4 of 34 available sentences.
Common questions
What are the closest synonyms for "rag"?
Closest matches include shred, tabloid, abuse, acid rock, act drop.
How should I check whether a synonym fits "rag"?
Compare the replacement against real sentence context. This entry includes sample sentences so you can check tone, grammar, and meaning before swapping words.