🧽 A cleaning cloth 📰 A cheap newspaper 🎉 A charity event 🎹 A ragtime song 🎹 To play ragtime 😜 A practical joke 😏 To tease

to rag

1 7.2

To tease someone repeatedly, either playfully or cruelly

verb
/ræɡ/

Informal

: burlarse de

And you know that's the case when even Jon Stewart rags on them for it!

Seeing we're all in safe company, let's rag on people who scrunch.

Examples

I know it's like super popular to just rag on Twitter right now but it is worse.
Actually, I listened to the whole entire audio book, not to rag or anything.
Seeing we're all in safe company, let's rag on people who scrunch.

Viva La Dirt League
So we posted a video ragging on America, Instagram, mom culture.
No, I think we change ours to ragging on ourselves way harder.
He always rags me after the Yanks make the playoffs, and said he would be glad to purchase any Yankee apparel on his dime.

Blog text (27)
The kids love to rag on their friends during recess, but it's all in good fun.
He tends to rag on me about my quirky fashion choices, making everyone laugh.
Even though she rags on me sometimes, I know she cares deeply as a friend.

Synonyms

to tease

vsto rag

245 1.9

To make fun of someone in a way that annoys them

covers the same actions but also includes harsher tormenting intent

to torment

vsto rag

NSFW

107 7.2

To cause someone to feel great physical or mental pain

covers the same harm but also smaller teasing or repeated nagging

to taunt

vsto rag

Offensive

93 5.8

To mock someone again and again to make them angry or upset

also applies when the action is playful rather than only provoking

to give someone a hard time

vsto rag

Informal

90 3.9

Make someone feel bad by criticizing or teasing them

may be lighter teasing too, not always serious hardship

to lecture

vsto rag

89 4.6

To give someone a long serious talk that warns or scolds them about what they did

is usually shorter, more teasing, and less instructive or moralizing

to ride

vsto rag

Offensive

62 7.5

To annoy someone by criticizing them again and again

also includes playful joking as well as mean harassment

to scold

vsto rag

55 2.2

Speak angrily to someone who has done something wrong

is less about formal blame and more about teasing or persistent torment

to berate

vsto rag

36 7.2

Scold someone angrily and severely

is sometimes milder, including joking annoyance or repeated teasing

to bait

vsto rag

35 6.8

To tease someone to make them angry or upset

may be less playful and aim to upset rather than joke

to reprimand

vsto rag

Formal

33 6.1

To tell someone they did something wrong, usually by a person in charge

is informal and can be playful or cruel rather than official

to crucify

vsto rag

NSFW

32 8.0

To criticize someone or something very harshly, often in public

is broader and includes lighter, repeated teasing as well as cruelty

to rebuke

vsto rag

Formal

26 6.9

To tell someone firmly that you do not approve of their actions

focuses more on repeated personal teasing rather than formal censure

to get under one's skin

vsto rag

Informal

25 7.2

To annoy someone again and again so they feel bothered

differs by focusing on effect, not active teasing or torment

to revile

vsto rag

Offensive

23 8.2

To say angry, insulting things about someone or something

differs by often being playful teasing rather than angry insult

to chide

vsto rag

22 7.0

Tell someone you are unhappy with what they did

is more likely to be playful or intentionally annoying rather than formal scolding

to take to task

vsto rag

18 6.3

To scold someone strongly for a mistake

is often less severe and may be teasing instead of strict blame

to chew out

vsto rag

Informal

13 7.0

Scold someone angrily in front of others

is less about one angry session and more about ongoing teasing or torment

to lambast

vsto rag

12 8.2

To criticize someone very strongly and angrily

is more playful or teasing and may not aim to destroy reputation

to bust my chops

vsto rag

Informal

7 9.3

To tease or criticize someone in a friendly way

sometimes includes mean or cruel actions not only joking

to razz

vsto rag

Informal

5 9.1

To tease someone in a playful or annoying way

can be similar but also cover cruel, nonplayful harassment

to rally

vsto rag

5 5.2

To tease someone repeatedly in a friendly way

can instead include mean or cruel repetitive harassment

to twit

vsto rag

Offensive

4 9.8

To tease someone again and again with small mean remarks

may be kinder or more playful rather than strictly reproachful

to call on the carpet

vsto rag

Archaic

3 7.9

To tell someone strongly that they have done something wrong, often in front of others

is informal and can be playful or cruel rather than official censure

to dress down

vsto rag

Informal

3 6.3

To angrily tell someone they did something wrong

is more personal and may be teasing rather than formal public scolding

to tear someone a new one

vsto rag

Offensive

3 9.8

To scold someone very harshly

usually covers repeated teasing or torment instead of single attack

to make sport of

vsto rag

Offensive

2 7.5

To laugh at someone and say unkind things about them

includes similar teasing but also harsher, deliberate torment

to chew up

vsto rag

Informal

2 7.1

To scold someone angrily and severely

is broader, including playful nagging and repeated teasing

to tear (someone) a new one

vsto rag

Offensive

2 9.9

To scold someone angrily

is softer in tone, used for ongoing teasing not only harsh blasts

to lambaste

vsto rag

1 8.0

To criticize someone or something very strongly in public

is used more for repeated personal teasing than public severe attacks

to tantalize

vsto rag

1 8.2

To tease someone with repeated mean or mocking remarks

is similar but can be playful rather than always cutting

to bust someone's chops

vsto rag

Informal

1 9.0

To tease or nag someone, often in a playful way

can be harsher and intended to hurt rather than joke

to bedevil

vsto rag

1 8.2

Treat someone cruelly by hurting or frightening them again and again

is like this but also includes light or playful nagging

to hag

vsto rag

NSFW

1 9.9

To bother someone for a long time and cause worry

can be used more lightly for joking harassment, not only intense torment

to rough-house

vsto rag

Informal

1 7.2

To play roughly with someone, often by pushing and tumbling in a friendly way

is verbal and repeated teasing rather than physical boisterous play

to call down

vsto rag

Informal

1 6.8

Tell someone angrily that they did something wrong

is more likely to be teasing or nagging and less formal anger

to break someone's chops

vsto rag

Archaic

8.7

To tease or nag someone in a way that annoys them

can also be used for cruel or hurtful repeated harassment

to bawl out

vsto rag

Informal

6.7

Shout loudly at someone because they did something wrong

contrasts by being quieter and often playful rather than loud anger

Antonyms

to support

∞ 1.0

Give help to a person or idea

Idioms

on the rag

Slur

5 9.9

A woman who is having her period, said in a rude way

to feel like a wet rag

8.6

To be very tired and weak after hard effort

Compounds

rag doll

4 2.0

A cloth doll filled with stuffing and with a painted or stitched face

rag doll

Specialized

2 5.8

In video games, a character that falls limp and moves like a cloth doll

oily rag

1 3.4

A piece of cloth soaked in oil used to clean or shine things

toe rag

Offensive

1 9.9

A person who is very unpleasant and treats others badly

snot rag

Offensive

1 9.9

A rude word for a piece of cloth or paper used to wipe your nose

rag bag

1 7.1

A messy mix of things that do not belong together

rag paper

Specialized

1 7.5

A sheet people make from old cloth that lasts a long time

rag trade

1 4.9

A business that makes and sells fashionable clothes

fag rag

Slur

9.9

An insulting name for a magazine about gay or lesbian culture

rag day

6.7

A day often at a university when students hold fun events to raise money for charity

rag gourd

Indian

9.3

A tropical climbing plant with big yellow flowers, edible young fruits, and a dry inside used as a sponge

rag week

9.1

A week when students hold events to raise money for charity

red rag

8.3

A comment or act that makes someone very angry, especially if they are already upset

pine-tar rag

Jargon

8.7

A cloth soaked in pine tar that batters rub on a bat handle to help them hold it better

tag and rag

Jargon

9.8

A method of marking people and keeping records to check safety and how well work is done

wet rag

Offensive

8.5

A person who is dull and has little energy or interest

How Teasing

to harass

302 4.0

to rag

Informal

1 7.2

to tease

245 1.9

to rib

Informal

2 3.8

Surface Forms

rag infinitive

ragged past

ragged past participle

ragging present participle

rags third person singular

Etymology

Rag as a verb meaning 'to tease' probably comes from the student pranks and teasing at rag events, so to rag someone is to tease or criticize them repeatedly.