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

to rag

20 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
228 1.9

To make fun of someone in a way that annoys them

covers the same actions but also includes harsher tormenting intent
to lecture
vsto rag
116 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 give someone a hard time
vsto rag
  • Informal
92 3.9

Make someone feel bad by criticizing or teasing them

may be lighter teasing too, not always serious hardship
to taunt
vsto rag
  • Offensive
86 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 torment
vsto rag
  • NSFW
83 7.2

To cause someone to feel great physical or mental pain

covers the same harm but also smaller teasing or repeated nagging
to scold
vsto rag
54 2.2

Speak angrily to someone who has done something wrong

is less about formal blame and more about teasing or persistent torment
to bait
vsto rag
44 6.8

To tease someone to make them angry or upset

may be less playful and aim to upset rather than joke
to berate
vsto rag
36 7.2

Scold someone angrily and severely

is sometimes milder, including joking annoyance or repeated teasing
to crucify
vsto rag
  • NSFW
34 8.0

To criticize someone or something very harshly, often in public

is broader and includes lighter, repeated teasing as well as cruelty
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 rebuke
vsto rag
  • Formal
25 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 chew out
vsto rag
  • Informal
25 7.0

Scold someone angrily in front of others

is less about one angry session and more about ongoing 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
21 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
20 6.3

To scold someone strongly for a mistake

is often less severe and may be teasing instead of strict blame
to ride
vsto rag
  • Offensive
16 7.5

To annoy someone by criticizing them again and again

also includes playful joking as well as mean harassment
to bust someone's chops
vsto rag
  • Informal
14 9.0

To tease or nag someone, often in a playful way

can be harsher and intended to hurt rather than joke
to lambast
vsto rag
11 8.2

To criticize someone very strongly and angrily

is more playful or teasing and may not aim to destroy reputation
to chew up
vsto rag
  • Informal
10 7.1

To scold someone angrily and severely

is broader, including playful nagging and repeated teasing
to bawl out
vsto rag
  • Informal
8 6.7

Shout loudly at someone because they did something wrong

contrasts by being quieter and often playful rather than loud anger
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
6 9.1

To tease someone in a playful or annoying way

can be similar but also cover cruel, nonplayful harassment
to tear someone a new one
vsto rag
  • Offensive
4 9.8

To scold someone very harshly

usually covers repeated teasing or torment instead of single attack
to call on the carpet
vsto rag
  • Archaic
4 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 make sport of
vsto rag
  • Offensive
3 7.5

To laugh at someone and say unkind things about them

includes similar teasing but also harsher, deliberate torment
to lambaste
vsto rag
3 8.0

To criticize someone or something very strongly in public

is used more for repeated personal teasing than public severe attacks
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 twit
vsto rag
  • Offensive
2 9.8

To tease someone again and again with small mean remarks

may be kinder or more playful rather than strictly reproachful
to rough-house
vsto rag
  • Informal
2 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 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 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 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 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 tear (someone) a new one
vsto rag
  • Offensive
1 9.9

To scold someone angrily

is softer in tone, used for ongoing teasing not only harsh blasts
to break someone's chops
vsto rag
  • Archaic
1 8.7

To tease or nag someone in a way that annoys them

can also be used for cruel or hurtful repeated harassment
to get under one's skin
vsto rag
  • Informal
1 7.2

To annoy someone again and again so they feel bothered

differs by focusing on effect, not active teasing or torment
to rally
vsto rag
  • UK
1 5.2

To tease someone repeatedly in a friendly way

can instead include mean or cruel repetitive harassment

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
  • UK
1 8.6

To be very tired and weak after hard effort

Compounds

rag doll
10 2.0

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

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

wet rag
  • Offensive
1 8.5

A person who is dull and has little energy or interest

rag trade
  • UK
1 4.9

A business that makes and sells fashionable clothes

snot rag
  • Offensive
1 9.9

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

red rag
  • UK
1 8.3

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

fag rag
  • Slur
1 9.9

An insulting name for a magazine about gay or lesbian culture

rag paper
  • Specialized
1 7.5

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

rag doll
  • Specialized
1 5.8

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

rag bag
  • UK
1 7.1

A messy mix of things that do not belong together

pine-tar rag
  • Jargon
1 8.7

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

rag day
  • UK
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
  • UK
9.1

A week when students hold events to raise money for charity

tag and rag
  • Jargon
9.8

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

How Teasing

to harass
256 4.0
to rag
  • Informal
20 7.2
to tease
228 1.9
to rib
  • Informal
5 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.