plural GIFs
: a computer file format for the compression and storage of visual digital information
also : an image or video stored in this format
Using emoji, emoticons and GIFs in a texted conversation instantly signals the difference between sincerity and a joke or sarcasm. Jenna Wortham
see also reaction gif

Examples of GIF in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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.
In fact, that idea of calming down perfectly leads us into our next important GIF from last night. Zach Harper, New York Times, 21 May 2026 And that’s my favorite GIF on the internet. Lacey Rose, HollywoodReporter, 20 May 2026 After Deadline reported that Sebastian Stan was in talks to join the sequel as Harvey Dent (aka Two-Face) and Scarlett Johansson was also eyeing a role, writer and director Matt Reeves confirmed his casting on social media with a GIF, along with several new cast members. Glenn Garner, Deadline, 14 May 2026 And her son is … The ever-GIF-able English hunk has his own devoted fan base with their own slightly NSFW moniker. Alison Schwartz, PEOPLE, 1 May 2026 Raster file types include GIF, JPG, PNG, and TIFF. Michael Muchmore, PC Magazine, 13 Mar. 2026 More than a decade after the show went off the air, a scene at the end of the show’s third season became a GIF. Mark Kennedy, Chicago Tribune, 11 Feb. 2026 The moment the poster went live on Instagram, commenters rushed in to post that one GIF of Spider-Man fighting Batman (for Zendaya). Elizabeth Logan, Glamour, 3 Feb. 2026 Bettor-1 texted Clase a GIF of a man hanging himself with toilet paper right after that pitch, according to the indictment. John Annese, New York Daily News, 12 Jan. 2026

Word History

Etymology

graphics interchange format

First Known Use

1987, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of GIF was in 1987

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“GIF.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/GIF. Accessed 1 Jun. 2026.

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