sag

B2 Topic:Actions & Processes

US /sæɡ/ See IPA manual

Minimal pairs

Sounds like shag /s/ vs /ʃ/

Freq #27834

Meanings

1

verb
To sink or hang down in the middle, usually because of weight or age.

The old shelf began to sag under the weight of the books.
2

verb
To become weaker or less successful.

Sales sagged during the winter months.
3

noun
A place where something sinks or droops downward.

There was a noticeable sag in the middle of the mattress.

Verb forms

Verb forms are not available for this word yet.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 verb · to sink or hang down in the... droop

2 verb · to become weaker or less... flag

3 noun · a place where something... droop

Word family

Forms saggedsaggingsags

Derived forms antisagsagbendsagflationsaggersaggysaglesssagproof

Appears in

Phrases (1)

See all

sag down
to sink or hang lower under weight or pressure

Verb + adverb

Etymology

From late Middle English saggen, probably of North Germanic/Scandinavian/Old Norse origin, akin to Old Norse sokkva (“to sink”), from a denasalized derivative of Proto-Germanic *sinkwaną (“to sink”). Compare Norwegian Nynorsk sagga (“move slowly”)); probably akin to Danish and Norwegian sakke, Swedish sacka, Icelandic sakka. Compare also Dutch zakken and German sacken (from Low German).

saggen Middle English *sinkwaną Proto-Germanic

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Actions & Processes

External links

# sag

**Type:** Word
**Level:** B2
**Part of speech:** verb, noun
**IPA (US):** /sæɡ/
**Frequency rank:** 27834

## Meanings
1. To sink or hang down in the middle, usually because of weight or age.
2. To become weaker or less successful.
3. A place where something sinks or droops downward.

## Examples
- The old shelf began to sag under the weight of the books.
- Sales sagged during the winter months.
- There was a noticeable sag in the middle of the mattress.

## Derived Forms
- antisag
- sagbend
- sagflation
- sagger
- saggy
- sagless
- sagproof

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: saggen
- Root: *sinkwaną

## Etymology
From late Middle English saggen, probably of North Germanic/Scandinavian/Old Norse origin, akin to Old Norse sokkva (“to sink”), from a denasalized derivative of Proto-Germanic *sinkwaną (“to sink”). Compare Norwegian Nynorsk sagga (“move slowly”)); probably akin to Danish and Norwegian sakke, Swedish sacka, Icelandic sakka. Compare also Dutch zakken and German sacken (from Low German).

## AI Etymology
Sag comes from late Middle English saggen, probably of North Germanic/Scandinavian/Old Norse origin, akin to Old Norse sokkva (“to sink”), from a denasalized derivative of Proto-Germanic *sinkwaną (“to sink”). Compare Norwegian Nynorsk sagga (“move slowly”)); probably akin to Danish and Norwegian sakke, Swedish sacka, Icelandic sakka. Compare also Dutch zakken and German sacken (from Low German). Modern senses include to sink or hang down in the middle, usually because of weight or age. and to become weaker or less successful.. The wider word family includes derivatives such as antisag, sagbend, sagflation, sagger, saggy, and sagless.

## Topics
- Actions & Processes

markdown

sag