gag 1 of 2

noun

Definition of gagnext
1
as in joke
something said or done to cause laughter the movie featured a gag involving a chicken driving a car that audiences thought was hysterically funny

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2
as in prank
a playful or mischievous act intended as a joke played a gag on their teammate by putting shaving cream in his hat

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gag

2 of 2

verb

ˈgag How to pronounce gag (audio)
1
as in to vomit
to discharge the contents of the stomach through the mouth the terrible smell of rotting fish made me gag

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2
as in to choke
to experience complete or partial blockage of the windpipe took a bite that was too large and began to gag

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to joke
to make jokes the actor typically mugs and gags through his movies, but in his latest vehicle he plays it straight

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of gag
Noun
His studio, The Devil’s Workshop, is located in Berwyn, a town that’s also a running gag on Svengoolie’s show, which airs Saturday nights on MeTV. — Mike Danahey, Chicago Tribune, 18 Sep. 2026 Cregger uses first-person-shooter point-of-view shots, with the long barrel of a rifle or automatic weapon lining up our sights; one running gag sees Bryan, completely hopeless with guns, having to shoot the locks off of gates. — Katie Walsh, Los Angeles Times, 18 Sep. 2026
Verb
The important thing to know is that these techniques should only be used if your pet is truly choking – not simply coughing or gagging – and your pet should still be seen by a veterinarian afterward, even if the object is removed. — Cathy M. Rosenthal, Chicago Tribune, 1 Aug. 2026 Azim was then beaten, strangled, suffocated with a pillow, gagged, and stuffed in a closet. — Louis Casiano, FOXNews.com, 19 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for gag
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gag
  1. joke
  2. prank
  3. vomit
  4. choke
  5. laugh
  6. trick
  7. joking
Noun
  • Its frothy, pastel hues and single moment of contrived levity (when one dance claims a trumpet solo for a joke about jamming her toe) is one of those quintessential examples of Balanchine’s repertoire showing its age.
    — Lauren Warnecke, Chicago Tribune, 18 Oct. 2026
  • And the Longhorns’ quarterback, Arch Manning, was the butt of the joke.
    — Noah White, Miami Herald, 18 Oct. 2026
Definition of joke
Noun
  • The company claimed an unfinished code left in the system, part of a prank, led to the crash.
    — Senior Television, Los Angeles Times, 16 Oct. 2026
  • Orenstein acted and wrote for the CBC variety program The Barris Beat, produced by Norman Jewison, then moved to New York in 1965 and landed on the CBS prank show Candid Camera.
    — Mike Barnes, HollywoodReporter, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of prank
Verb
  • The climax of Lukas Moodysson’s A Hole in My Heart (2004), where Geko vomits into Tess’s open mouth?
    — Eugenie Brinkema, ARTnews.com, 17 Oct. 2026
  • Robertson said that about two days later, her daughter started vomiting, developed a high fever, and had severe diarrhea.
    — Erin Jones, CBS News, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of vomit
Verb
  • Bill Snyder’s second-greatest football achievement as Kansas State’s legendary head coach, after magically transforming the nation’s most moribund program into a national contender, was to choke the life from his school’s biggest rivalry game.
    — Blair Kerkhoff, Kansas City Star, 17 Oct. 2026
  • Among those arrested were individuals accused of choking their partners and assaulting their children, the sheriff’s office said.
    — Tanya Babbar, Houston Chronicle, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of choke
Noun
  • But acknowledging a property’s cheesy elements isn’t the same as generating consistent laughs from the situation.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 16 Oct. 2026
  • Among the biggest laughs of the ceremony came during Friml’s take on an awards-show in memoriam.
    — Destiny Jackson, Deadline, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of laugh
Noun
  • Is there a celebrity chain where people share tips and tricks?
    — Chris Gardner, HollywoodReporter, 15 Oct. 2026
  • Fox Nation is pulling a new trick, using artificial intelligence to bring legendary illusionist Harry Houdini back from the dead.
    — Britta Miller, The Washington Examiner, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of trick
Noun
  • Russell was mentioned in that speech, but in a joking way, playing off of how frequent Oscars director Glenn Weiss, who won for his role helming the 2018 Academy Awards telecast, had used his speech to propose to his then-girlfriend.
    — Hilary Lewis, HollywoodReporter, 9 Oct. 2026
  • Arch Manning's joking comments at a news conference about a fake video of coach Steve Sarkisian slapping ESPN reporter Holly Rowe erupted in controversy.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 17 Sep. 2026
Definition of joking

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Cite this Entry

“Gag.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gag. Accessed 21 Oct. 2026.

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