Tag — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

noun verb abbreviation /ˈtag/

Meaning & Definition of Tag

Tag (noun)

  1. a loose hanging piece of cloth, tatter
  2. a metal or plastic binding on an end of a shoelace
  3. a piece of hanging or attached material; specifically, a loop, knot, or tassel on a garment
  4. a game in which the player who is it chases others and tries to touch one of them who then becomes it
  5. an act or instance of tagging a runner in baseball

Tag (verb)

  1. to provide or mark with or as if with a tag
  2. to supply with an identifying marker or price
  3. to provide with a name or epithet, label, brand
  4. to touch in or as if in a game of tag
  5. to put out (a runner) in baseball by a touch with the ball or the gloved hand containing the ball
  6. to hit solidly

Tag (abbreviation)

  1. the adjutant general

Tag (noun) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. a slip (as of paper or cloth) that is attached to something to identify or describe it

    "read the tag on the shirt to find out if I could wash it or if it had to be dry-cleaned"

    similar: label, marker, ticket
    related: caption, legend, brand, emblem, hallmark, logo, mark, symbol, trademark, badge, decal, plaque, seal, stamp, sticker

Tag (verb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. to attach an identifying slip to

    "tagged all the dresses with sale stickers before putting them on the rack"

    similar: label, mark, ticket
    related: caption, earmark, hallmark, stamp, call, designate, identify, name, tab, entitle, style, term, title, brand, stigmatize

  2. to go after or on the track of

    "wildlife experts surreptitiously tagged the timber wolf, carefully keeping a safe distance so the wolf wouldn't catch their scent and run"

    similar: bird-dog, chase, course, dog, follow, hound, pursue, run, shadow, tail, trace, track, trail, run after
    related: accompany, chaperone, escort, hunt, search (for), seek, eye, observe, watch
    opposite: guide, lead, pilot
    near: head

  3. to deliver a blow to (someone or something) usually in a strong vigorous manner

    "he tagged me with a right hook and blackened my eye"

    similar: bang, bash, bat, belt, biff, bludgeon, bob, bonk, bop, box, bust, clap, clip, clobber, clock, clout, crack, hammer, hit, knock, nail, paste, pound, punch, rap, slam, slap, slog, slug, smack, smite, sock, strike, swat, swipe, thump, thwack, wallop, whack, whale, zap, hang one on
    related: batter, beat, buffet, bung, chop, cuff, drub, lace, lambaste, lick, mangle, maul, pelt, pepper, pommel, pummel, rough, scuff, bunt, flick, stroke, tap, bump, butt, jab, jostle, kick, knee, poke, prod, push, shove, stamp, bowl (down or over), cream, deck, dump (slang), fell, floor, knock down, level, rabbit-punch, sucker punch, cane, club, cudgel, flail, flog, lash, sap, slash, sledge, sledgehammer, spear, stab, switch, thrash, whip, bean, brain, conk, skull

  4. to decide to accept (someone or something) from a group of possibilities

    "she tagged her most experienced operative for the special mission"

    similar: cherry-pick, choose, cull, elect, handpick, name, opt (for), pick, prefer, select, single (out), take
    related: preselect, appoint, designate, fix, mark, nominate, set, tab, tap, accept, adopt, embrace, espouse, settle (on or upon)
    opposite: decline, refuse, reject, turn down
    near: disapprove, negative, repudiate, spurn, discard, jettison, throw away, throw out

Related Entry: Tag, rag, and bobtail (noun)

Tag, rag, and bobtail is a different word from Tag. The synonyms below are for tag, rag, and bobtail, not for tag.

  1. people looked down upon as ignorant and of the lowest class

    "in an apparent effort to keep out the city's tag, rag, and bobtail, the restaurant charges royally high prices for mediocre food"

    similar: proletariat, rabble, rabblement, ragtag and bobtail, riffraff, rout, scum, trash, unwashed
    related: dregs, commoners, commons, herd, hoi polloi, masses, millions, mob, multitude, people, plebeians, populace, public, rank and file, bourgeoisie, middle class, working class
    opposite: A-list, aristocracy, elite, gentry, quality, society, upper class, upper crust
    near: elect, establishment, gentlefolk, nobility, peerage

Related Entry: Tag sale (noun)

Tag sale is a different word from Tag. The synonyms below are for tag sale, not for tag.

  1. a sale of used household and personal items

    "on weekends the bargain-minded couple likes to drive around looking for tag sales"

    similar: garage sale, yard sale
    related: jumble sale (British), rummage sale

Related Entry: Tag along (verb)

Tag along is a different word from Tag. The synonyms below are for tag along, not for tag.

  1. as in follow, tag

    similar: follow, shadow, tag, tail, bring, conduct, guide, lead, pilot, steer, usher, hang (around), hover (over), defend, guard, protect, associate, consort, pal (around), team (up), walk, accompany, attend, chaperone, companion, company, convoy, escort, see, squire
    opposite: abandon, desert, ditch, dump, forsake

Related Entry: Tag end (noun)

Tag end is a different word from Tag. The synonyms below are for tag end, not for tag.

  1. as in tail end, shank

    similar: shank, tail end, aftermath, anticlimax, coda, epilogue, postscript, acme, apex, capstone, climax, copestone, coup de grâce, crescendo, crown, culmination, high-water mark, meridian, peak, pinnacle, summit, tip-top, top, zenith, capper, close, closing, conclusion, consummation, end, endgame, ending, finale, finis, finish, grand finale, homestretch, mop-up, windup, wrap-up
    opposite: baseline, beginning, dawn, day one, nascence, nascency, opening, start, foreword, introduction, overture, preamble, preface, prelude, prologue

Related Entry: Tag ends (noun)

Tag ends is a different word from Tag. The synonyms below are for tag ends, not for tag.

  1. as in tail ends, shanks

    similar: shanks, tail ends, aftermaths, anticlimaxes, codas, epilogues, postscripts, acmes, apexes, capstones, climaxes, copestones, coups de grâce, crescendos, crowns, culminations, high-water marks, meridians, peaks, pinnacles, summits, tip-tops, tops, zeniths, cappers, closes, closings, conclusions, consummations, endgames, endings, ends, finales, finises, finishes, grand finales, homestretches, mop-ups, windups, wrap-ups
    opposite: baselines, beginnings, dawns, day ones, nascences, nascencies, openings, starts, forewords, introductions, overtures, preambles, prefaces, preludes, prologues

Related Entry: Tag sales (noun)

Tag sales is a different word from Tag. The synonyms below are for tag sales, not for tag.

  1. a sale of used household and personal items

    "on weekends the bargain-minded couple likes to drive around looking for tag sales"

    similar: garage sales, yard sales
    related: jumble sales (British), rummage sales

Related Entry: Price tag (noun)

Price tag is a different word from Tag. The synonyms below are for price tag, not for tag.

  1. the amount of money that is demanded as payment for something

    "a weeklong cruise on the luxury liner sounded great, but the price tag was enough to make me choke"

    similar: ante, charge, cost, damage, fee, figure, freight, price
    related: fair market value, market value, valuation, value, asking price, list price, sticker price, price point, rate, tariff, unit price, carrying charge, overcharge, service charge, surcharge, deduction, discount, markdown, reduction, sale, deposit, down payment, account, bill, check, invoice, tab

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Tag

The most common words with a similar meaning to Tag:

label, marker, ticket, mark, bird-dog, chase, course, dog, follow, hound, pursue, run, shadow, tail, trace, track, trail, run after, bang, bash, bat, belt, biff, bludgeon, bob, bonk, bop, box, bust, clap, clip, clobber, clock, clout, crack, hammer, hit, knock, nail, paste

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Tag

Words with the opposite meaning of Tag:

guide, lead, pilot, decline, refuse, reject, turn down

Related Words for Tag

caption, legend, brand, emblem, hallmark, logo, symbol, trademark, badge, decal, plaque, seal, stamp, sticker, earmark, call, designate, identify, tab, entitle, style, term, title, stigmatize, accompany, chaperone, escort, hunt, search (for), seek

Near Antonyms of Tag

head, disapprove, negative, repudiate, spurn, discard, jettison, throw away, throw out

Word Forms of Tag

Inflections: tags, tagged, tagging

Origin & Etymology of Tag

Middle English tagge; akin to Middle Low German tagge, tacke twig, spike

First known use: 14th century

Vocabulary Lists & Topics for Tag

Words & Phrases Containing Tag

tagger, tag along, tag end, tag question, tag, rag, and bobtail

Frequently Asked Questions about Tag

What does "Tag" mean?

"Tag" means a loose hanging piece of cloth, tatter. As an a noun, a verb and an abbreviation, it is defined as: a loose hanging piece of cloth, tatter. It has 5 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Tag"?

Other words for "Tag" include label, marker, ticket, mark, bird-dog, chase, course and dog. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Tag" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Tag"?

There are 176 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Tag". Common alternatives include label, marker, ticket, mark, bird-dog, chase, course, dog, follow and hound.

What is the opposite of "Tag"?

Antonyms of "Tag" include guide, lead, pilot, decline, refuse, reject and turn down. Near antonyms include head, disapprove, negative and repudiate.

How do you use "Tag" in a sentence?

Examples of "Tag" in a sentence: "read the tag on the shirt to find out if I could wash it or if it had to be dry-cleaned"; "tagged all the dresses with sale stickers before putting them on the rack"; "wildlife experts surreptitiously tagged the timber wolf, carefully keeping a safe distance so the wolf wouldn't catch their scent and run".

Is "Tag" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Tag" can be used as a noun, a verb and an abbreviation, depending on the context.

Is "Tag" useful for IELTS, TOEFL, and other English exams?

As a B2-level word, "Tag" is typical of Cambridge B2 First (FCE), IELTS band 5.5–6.5, TOEFL iBT 72–94, PTE Academic 59–75, TOEIC Listening & Reading 785+.

How do you pronounce "Tag"?

"Tag" is pronounced /ˈtag/.