a thick fabric for covering part of a floor, often woven of wool and often having an oblong shape with a border design.
the treated skin of an animal, used as a floor covering.
a bear rug.
Chiefly British. a piece of thick, warm cloth, used as a coverlet, lap robe, etc.
Slang. toupee; hairpiece.
a floor covering, smaller than a carpet and made of thick wool or of other material, such as an animal skin
a blanket, esp one used as a wrap or lap robe for travellers
slang a wig
to betray, expose, or leave defenceless
1545–55; < Old Norse rǫgg wool, long hairs; compare Norwegian rugga covering of coarse wool, Swedish rugg coarse hair
A rug is something made of woven fabric that covers a floor. If your downstairs neighbor is complaining about the noise, try buying a rug. A rug is smaller than a carpet, which usually covers a room's entire floor — rugs leave parts of the floor exposed. Some are thick and dense, providing a cushiony area for walking or sitting. Rug also informally means "wig or toupee," so you could say, "Did you see that guy's terrible blonde rug?" And if you want to pretend something didn't happen, you'll have to colloquially "sweep it under the rug," or hide it.
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
While the likes of Phil Foden, Cole Palmer, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Harry Maguire had that feeling of a rug being pulled out from under them, Ivan Toney represents one of manager Thomas Tuchel's big reveals.
From BBC • May 22, 2026
Yet the rug was pulled out from organization men beginning in the 1970s.
From Barron's • May 20, 2026
The mayor described his approach as: “Don’t sweep it under the rug; don’t look the other way. Admit that we have a problem.”
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 29, 2026
For those trying to find some faith that not everything can be swept under the rug, look no further.
From Salon • Apr. 25, 2026
He pointed to a rug by the front door.
From "The Seven Wonders of Sassafras Springs" by Betty G. Birney
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
