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
The main theme was used only twice — once for the first- episode gag and a second time in a climactic closing moment in episode four. — Ethan Millman, HollywoodReporter, 20 Aug. 2026 All that’s needed to keep the cult of Phoebe growing is to leave us hanging on every word, whether the next line is a cosmic gag or an unexpectedly earnest profession of love. — Chris Willman, Variety, 9 Aug. 2026
Verb
My mother felt grit on her skin and the fumes gagged her. — Literary Hub, 3 June 2026 This Spanish detective thriller The Marked Woman follows a pair of police officers who are assigned the case of an amnesiac woman found bound and gagged in a shipping container at the Port of Barcelona. — K. Thor Jensen, PC Magazine, 27 May 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
  • And honestly, that’s kind of the best joke there is — some classic America’s Funniest Home Videos type stuff.
    — Maria Bamford, Vulture, 31 Aug. 2026
  • Sumaila has a running joke about it, borrowed from an old British comedy about a heist gone wrong.
    — Catherina Gioino, Fortune, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of joke
Noun
  • Jons, as demonstrated by her number of followers, has enjoyed success through her prank videos, and has also appeared on TV and attended various fashion shows.
    — Chris Marshall-Bell, New York Times, 25 Aug. 2026
  • This has led to fans of the show to ruminate on how the team will set up another elaborate prank.
    — Peter White, Deadline, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of prank
Verb
  • The people who genuinely benefit are those vomiting or experiencing diarrhoea badly enough to be dehydrated.
    — Hanna Wickes, Kansas City Star, 26 Aug. 2026
  • On the night of the reprieve, Owen, cut loose for the evening by his girlfriend, who wants to canoodle with a neighbor, vomits in the vicinity of Allie’s high heels, in what might be called a meet-boot.
    — Alexandra Schwartz, New Yorker, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of vomit
Verb
  • Almost constant air raids in Kyiv have now reached their third day, choking the economy in the Ukrainian capital and severely disrupting civilian life more than 4½ years after Russia’s full-scale invasion of its neighbor.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 29 Aug. 2026
  • Both victims were illegally choked to death by white police officers.
    — Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of choke
Noun
  • There was nothing particularly novel about the show’s premise, but the scripts were refreshingly dense with jokes, prioritizing laughs over contrived drama or seasonlong relationship arcs.
    — Ben Rosenstock, Vulture, 28 Aug. 2026
  • The trooper is conscious, in good spirits and able to have conversations, laugh and smile, according to Sgt.
    — Jenna Ebbers, Kansas City Star, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of laugh
Noun
  • Treister had a smart sense of humor, often performing magic tricks for anyone who would come over to his home, his family said.
    — Lauren Costantino, Miami Herald, 29 Aug. 2026
  • Layered background sighs, a resonant lead vocal, autumnal acoustic guitar flickers, synths both eerie and trippy—James has all his tricks on tap.
    — Ryan Leas, Pitchfork, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of trick
Noun
  • Back in December 1968, Dolan wrote a joking column about the earlier Lake Worth monster, from way back in 1947.
    — Star-Telegram staff, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 10 July 2026
  • Oh, but the Padres manager was ready with the joking last night.
    — Kevin Acee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 21 June 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 2 Sep. 2026.

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