<?xml version="1.0"?>

<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0201</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2003-09-25</periodOfReport>


    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000813298</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>CASUAL MALE RETAIL GROUP INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>cmrg</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0000904439</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>HOLTZMAN SEYMOUR</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>C/O JEWELCOR - 4TH FLOOR</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>100 N WILKES BARRE BLVD</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>WILKES BARRE</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>PA</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>18702</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>1</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <derivativeTable>

        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Warrants (right to buy)</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>6.83</value>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2003-09-25</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>20000</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>2003-09-25</value>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2010-07-02</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>20000</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>20000</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>By Jewelcor Management, Inc.</value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeTransaction>

    </derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Exercise price is based on the average closing price of the Issuer's Common Stock on the NASDAQ National Market for the period of 30 trading days ending September 24, 2003.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">The Reporting Person has previously reported issuance of warrants to Jewelcor Management, Inc. to purchase an aggregate of 207,059 shares of the Issuer's Common Stock, which warrants are currently exercisable.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <remarks>The Reporting Person is an indirect controlling shareholder of Jewelcor Management, Inc. a holder of more than 10% of the Issuer's Common Stock.

The Reporting Person has previously reported grants of options to purchase an aggregate of 1,130,000 shares of the Issuer's Common Stock.

The Reporting Person has previously reported direct beneficial ownership of 12,765 shares of the Issuer's Common Stock.</remarks>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Richard Huffsmith  Attorney-in-Fact for   Seymour Holtzman</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2003-09-29</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>

</ownershipDocument>

