sag
verb (used without object)
to sink or bend downward by weight or pressure, especially in the middle.
Showing results for sag.
Search instead for
sages.
Jump To:
sag
1 American
[sag]
/ sæg /
verb (used without object)
-
sags,
present (3rd person singular)
-
sagged,
past participle, past
-
sagging
present participle
-
to sink or bend downward by weight or pressure, especially in the middle.
The roof sags.
-
to hang down unevenly; droop.
Her skirt was sagging.
-
to droop; hang loosely.
His shoulders sagged.
-
to yield through weakness, lack of effort, or the like.
Our spirits began to sag.
-
to decline, as in price.
The stock market sagged today.
-
Nautical.
-
(of a hull) to droop at the center or have excessive sheer because of structural weakness.
-
to be driven to leeward; to make too much leeway.
-
verb (used with object)
-
sags,
present (3rd person singular)
-
sagged,
past participle, past
-
sagging
present participle
noun
-
an act or instance of sagging.
-
the degree of sagging.
-
a place where anything sags; depression.
-
a moderate decline in prices.
-
Nautical.
-
deflection downward of a hull amidships, due to structural weakness.
-
SAG
2
American
[sag]
/ sæg /
noun
sag
British
/ sæɡ /
verb
-
(also tr) to sink or cause to sink in parts, as under weight or pressure
the bed sags in the middle
-
to fall in value
prices sagged to a new low
-
to hang unevenly; droop
-
(of courage, spirits, etc) to weaken; flag
noun
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
sagsimple
-
sagssimple
-
have saggedperfect
-
has saggedperfect
-
am saggingprogressive
-
are saggingprogressive
-
is saggingprogressive
-
have been saggingperfect progressive
-
has been saggingperfect progressive
Past
-
saggedsimple
-
had saggedperfect
-
was saggingprogressive
-
were saggingprogressive
-
had been saggingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of sag
1375–1425; late Middle English saggen (v.), probably < Scandinavian; compare Norwegian sagga to move slowly (akin to Low German sacken to sink, Norwegian, Danish sakke, Swedish sacka, Icelandic sakka to slow up, fall behind)
Explanation
When something sags, it leans, settles, or droops. If your bed sags in the middle, it can be hard to get a good night's sleep. When you're tired, your whole body may sag, drooping with exhaustion. And older people are sometimes surprised to look in the mirror and see that their faces are beginning to sag with age. Objects sag too, with weight or age: "The porch on that old house has started to sag — the whole thing may need to be torn down." Sag is probably related to the Old Norse sokkva, "to sink."
Vocabulary lists containing sag
"Harlem" by Langston Hughes
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
"Harlem" by Langston Hughes
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
Shares for the fast-food chain have slid 50% this year as its sales sag.
From Barron's ● Oct. 22, 2026
Together, they are intended to support the muscles of the throat so the airway is less likely to sag or collapse during sleep.
From Science Daily ● Sep. 1, 2026
National rail said heat can cause overhead lines to expand and sag, line-side fires and also rails to buckle.
From BBC ● May 26, 2026
Comcast, parent of NBCUniversal, has seen its stock sag over the past five years, which some skeptical of its play for Warner say could create challenges in funding a competitive offer.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 13, 2025
The lower eyelids sag so much they almost look like a piece of invisible string is pulling them downward: you can see the red part on the inside, like they’re almost inside out.
From "Wonder" by R. J. Palacio
The procedural's ensemble cast was nominated for SAG Awards in 1995 and 1996, and he received a nod for male actor in a drama series in 1995.
From BBC ● Oct. 22, 2026
A rube who wants to be making musical theater, Dan is just hoping to earn a SAG card.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 23, 2026
Just like all the celebrities, they go to the SAG Awards, whatever, and they have these beautiful editorial shots before they even hit the red carpet.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 18, 2026
Jordan made good on the momentum he gained by winning the SAG Actor Award two weeks ago to bring home an Academy Award in his first try.
From Barron's ● Mar. 16, 2026
US actor Michael B Jordan has scored a surprise win at the Actor Awards, formerly known as the SAG Awards, giving him a surge of momentum in the final weeks before the Oscars.
From BBC ● Mar. 2, 2026
But the fact that one can articulate the problem so concisely is perhaps why “The Visit” sags a bit in the middle.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 16, 2026
China’s government is pouring money into AI, electric cars and military power, while consumer confidence sags and the job market grows bleak.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 11, 2026
Home buyers are scoring the biggest discounts in over a decade as the housing market sags from weak demand.
From MarketWatch ● Feb. 2, 2026
Gold and stocks have been rallying together to record highs, as the dollar sags and bond yields go sideways.
From Barron's ● Oct. 9, 2025
He wears ragged brown clothing and skin sags from his jaw.
From "Divergent" by Veronica Roth
Sales have sagged since he bought his dealerships about a decade ago.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 18, 2026
Sales at the brand, whose jeans were one of the 1990s core staples, sagged after consumers shifted to newer designs and the company failed to capitalize.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 4, 2026
In this scenario, dense, water-rich portions of Earth's cooler outer crust periodically sagged downward and collapsed into the hotter mantle, transporting water with them.
From Science Daily ● Sep. 13, 2026
Two load-bearing columns of a 37-story tower currently under construction, located near Grand Central Terminal, warped and several floors sagged on Tuesday.
From Barron's ● Jul. 8, 2026
My whole body sagged, and she touched my shoulder.
From "Rump: The (Fairly) True Story of Rumpelstilskin" by Liesl Shurtliff
Her protagonist - who is 50 - has a slight obsession with sagging skin, which will no doubt strike a chord with many.
From BBC ● Sep. 19, 2026
With reading and math scores sagging across the country, Mississippi stands out as a rare education success story.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 10, 2026
“Immediately noticeable were the sagging eaves, the multitude of leaks from the roof, the dried out, splintered mahogany and the battered exterior woodwork, which had suffered seven decades of winds from the Sound.”
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 9, 2026
In this alternate universe, beautiful people have pig snouts, distorted mouths, and sagging cheeks.
From Slate ● Sep. 2, 2026
And man, she went all shattered pixie on me then, fingers fluttering to her throat, staggering backwards, sagging against the door frame, all the energy that usually holds her up gone.
From "Anthem of a Reluctant Prophet" by Joanne Proulx
Random Word
Spin the wheel and learn a new word!
Get a wordDefinitions 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.
