Synonyms of wag

wag 1 of 3

noun (1)

as in flap

a quick jerky movement from side to side or up and down

the dog gave its tail a single wag before it flopped back down

Synonyms & Similar Words

• flap
• flick
• twitch
• waggle
• switch
• swish
• wave
• flutter
• whisk
• nod
• wiggle
• shake
• rock
• whip
• swing
• jerk
• sway
• oscillation
• bob
• jolt
• waver
• snap
• jiggle

wag

2 of 3

noun (2)

as in comedian

a person (as a writer) noted for or specializing in humor

some wag wrote a droll satire on the scandal for the newspaper

Synonyms & Similar Words

• comedian
• droll
• humorist
• wit
• gagger
• jokester
• jester
• farceur
• funnyman
• entertainer
• clown
• comic
• card
• joker
• gagman
• gagster
• comedienne
• knockabout
• fool
• buffoon
• practical joker
• kidder
• prankster
• teaser
• harlequin
• quipster
• parodist
• wisecracker
• banterer
• caricaturist
• satirist
• zany
• quipper
• cutup
• lampooner

wag

3 of 3

verb

ˈwag 

1

as in to flap

to move from side to side or up and down with quick jerky motions

the cat's tail wagged back and forth in annoyance

Synonyms & Similar Words

• flap
• flick
• twitch
• bob
• swing
• waggle
• switch
• swish
• jerk
• sway
• wave
• shake
• flutter
• oscillate
• lash
• whip
• rock
• wiggle
• waver
• flail
• flicker
• nod
• flop
• jolt
• beat
• jog
• jiggle
• jig
• joggle

2

as in to gossip

to relate sometimes questionable or secret information of a personal nature

tongues will wag as soon as word of the house's selling price gets around

Synonyms & Similar Words

• gossip
• talk
• tattle
• tell
• dish
• blab
• spill the beans
• reveal
• hint
• divulge
• disclose
• rumor
• report
• imply
• suggest
• let on
• inform
• circulate
• noise (about or abroad)
• tip (off)
• insinuate
• spill
• confide
• snitch
• intimate
• blabber
• squeal
• babble
• bandy (about)

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• shut up
• clam up

3

as in to bob

to make short up-and-down movements

the bird's head wagged jerkily as it looked for worms

Synonyms & Similar Words

• bob
• shake
• pump
• jerk
• nod
• sway
• jog
• wiggle
• jounce
• bobble
• seesaw
• duck
• rock
• swing
• oscillate
• wobble
• jiggle
• undulate
• drop

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of wag

Noun

These special issues now have shifted from doing an occasional kind of interesting little tail wag for readers based on what a luminary in the field thought might be kind of neat. — Anil Oza, STAT, 24 Apr. 2026

These pre-conditions to talks were discussed at the EFL meeting, which just so happened to be held in The Belfry’s Masters Suite, or, as one wag put it, the room whose door is always open. — Matt Slater, New York Times, 21 Mar. 2026

Verb

In the opening scene, an old and bearded monarch sits wagging a huge finger at a young man. — John Phipps, New Yorker, 5 Sep. 2026

In many cases, the robot tail wags the living dog by tricking it—tricking us—into caring about obscure metrics, then gamifying the process of improving them. — Hillary Busis, Vanity Fair, 28 Aug. 2026