rag doll

American

noun

a stuffed doll, especially of cloth.

rag doll Idioms

A limp, ineffectual person, as in You won't get a decision from her; she's a rag doll when it comes to making up her mind. This expression transfers the limpness of a soft doll made from scraps of cloth to human behavior. [Mid-1800s]

Etymology

Origin of rag doll

First recorded in 1850–55

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.

She giggled and said, “Jay Berry, you look just like my old rag doll did the time Rowdy got hold of her.”

From Literature

Chip slid down to the floor, crumpling like one of those rag dolls Katherine used to drag around by the feet.

From Literature

"I didn't recognise the men. Or this woman. Her cheek was so flabby. Her mouth so limp. She was like a rag doll," writes the 73-year-old, according to the French-language version.

From Barron's

"I didn't recognise the men. Or this woman. Her cheek was so flabby. Her mouth so limp. She was like a rag doll."

From Barron's

Forlorn but oddly hopeful, Sally became the film’s most empathetic character, thanks in part to the depth that O’Hara lent to the sort-of animated rag doll.

From Los Angeles Times

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023