How to pronounce rag
Say it like RAG. Rag is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress.
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce rag. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- RAG
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Rag pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- RAGSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "a" in cat.
American vs British pronunciation of rag
American and British speakers say rag in essentially the same way: /ræɡ/ in the US and /ræɡ/ in the UK.
British respelling: RAG.
What does rag mean?
- a small piece of cloth or paper
- a week at British universities during which side-shows and processions of floats are organized to raise money for charities
- music with a syncopated melody (usually for the piano)
- treat cruelly“The children tormented the stuttering teacher”
- cause annoyance in; disturb, especially by minor irritations“Mosquitoes buzzing in my ear really bothers me”“It irritates me that she never closes the door after she leaves”
- play in ragtime“rag that old tune”
Where does rag come from?
From Middle English ragge, from Old English ragg (suggested by derivative raggiġ (“shaggy; bristly; ragged”)), from Old Norse rǫgg (“tuft; shagginess”), from Proto-Germanic *rawwa-, probably related to *rūhaz.
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Words that rhyme with rag
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of rag.
Questions about saying rag
How do you pronounce rag?
Say RAG. The American pronunciation is /ræɡ/. In British English it is /ræɡ/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in rag?
Rag is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: RAG.
Do Americans and Brits say rag the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ræɡ/ and the British form is /ræɡ/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.