sag

1 of 3

verb

sagged; sagging

intransitive verb

1
: to droop, sink, or settle from or as if from pressure or loss of tautness
2
a
: to lose firmness, resiliency, or vigor
spirits sagging from overwork
b
: to decline especially from a thriving state
3
: drift
4
: to fail to stimulate or retain interest

transitive verb

: to cause to sag : leave slack in

sag

2 of 3

noun

1
: a tendency to drift (as of a ship to leeward)
2
a
: a sagging part
the sag in a rope
b
: a drop or depression below the surrounding area
c
: an instance or amount of sagging
3
: a temporary decline (as in the price of a commodity)

SAG

3 of 3

abbreviation

Screen Actors Guild

Examples of sag in a Sentence

Verb The roof is sagging in the middle. The economy began to sag. As all our efforts failed, our spirits sagged. Noun if there's too much sag in the rod, the curtains will drag on the floor
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Verb
While Donald Trump’s return sparked surges early in the year, including brief all-time highs across major tokens, prices have largely sagged. Catherine Baab, Quartz, 9 May 2025 Even when his overall approval ratings sagged, voters consistently gave him his highest marks on the economy. Martha McHardy, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 May 2025
Noun
This back-and-forth comes against a backdrop where Trump has seen his approval sag on his economic strategy. Kevin Williams, Quartz, 24 Apr. 2025 Arms: Someone suffering a stroke will have one arm sag or drop in an unusual way. Vanessa Etienne, People.com, 15 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for sag

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English saggen; akin to Middle Low German sacken to sink, Norwegian dialect sakka

First Known Use

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1

Noun

1580, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of sag was in the 14th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Sag.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sag. Accessed 18 May. 2025.

Kids Definition

sag

1 of 2 verb
sagged; sagging
1
: to droop or sink below the normal or right level
2
: to become less firm or strong
saggy
ˈsag-ē
adjective

sag

2 of 2 noun
1
: a sagging part or area
the sag in a rope
2
: an instance or amount of sagging

More from Merriam-Webster on sag

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