gag

verb

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\ ˈgag

gagged; gagging

Definition of gag

(Entry 1 of 2)

transitive verb

1a : to restrict use of the mouth of by inserting something into it to prevent speech or outcry

b : to prevent from exercising freedom of speech or expression trying to gag the press legally gagged from discussing the case

c : to pry or hold open with a gag

2 : to provide or write quips or pranks for gag a show

3 : to choke or cause to retch

intransitive verb

1a : choke also : to suffer a throat spasm that makes swallowing or breathing difficult

b : retch

2 : to be unable to endure something : balk The boys gagged at all the kissing and goo-goo eyes.

3 : to make quips

gag

noun

Definition of gag (Entry 2 of 2)

1 : something thrust into the mouth to keep it open or to prevent speech or outcry

2 : an official check or restraint on debate or free speech a gag rule

3 : a laugh-provoking remark or act

4 : prank, trick

Other Words from gag Synonyms More Example Sentences Learn More About gag

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Synonyms for gag

Synonyms: Verb

Synonyms: Noun

boff
(or boffo),
boffola,
crack,
drollery,
funny,
giggle
[chiefly British],
jape,
jest,
joke,
josh,
laugh,
nifty,
one-liner,
pleasantry,
quip,
rib,
sally,
waggery,
wisecrack,
witticism,
yuk
(or yuck also yak or yock)
[slang]

Examples of gag in a Sentence

Verb The government is trying to gag the press. the terrible smell of rotting fish made me gag Noun The movie relies on simpleminded gags for laughs. They hid his clothes as a gag. They tied up the hostages and put gags in their mouths. The government is trying to put a gag on the press.

Recent Examples on the Web: Verb The backers of these new laws are trying to gag and scare teachers to keep them from meeting their professional obligation to teach students honest history. — Randi Weingarten, CNN, 27 July 2021 People watching these clips felt nauseated and wanted to gag. — Katherine J. Wu, The Atlantic, 27 July 2021 When Cruz tried to call for help, one of the inmates allegedly used a towel to try to gag him. — Elizabeth Depompei, The Indianapolis Star, 10 June 2021 Across the country, state legislatures scramble to gag educators, suppress the vote, and criminalize protests, a backlash to successful challenges to white, minority rule. — Melissa Gira Grant, The New Republic, 8 June 2021 That a handful of tech companies can effectively gag what’s said and published online also raises, albeit less directly, questions about money that gets spent in Washington. — John Detrixhe, Quartz, 15 Jan. 2021 Nasal swabs reduce the tendency of patients to cough, sneeze or gag during collection, potentially spreading the virus. — Julie Washington, cleveland, 29 Aug. 2020 In S8:E8, Newman was challenged to eat broccoli but quickly gagged and demanded a honey mustard chaser to neutralize the taste. — Bill Sullivan, The Conversation, 5 June 2020 Stinging eyes and throats and the compulsion to gag and cough from pepper spray or tear gas will subside. — Terry Demio, Cincinnati.com, 4 June 2020 Recent Examples on the Web: Noun Google also noted that court orders are often accompanied by gag orders that prevent the recipient from discussing them. — Mark Harris, Wired, 30 Sep. 2021 In a letter published in The Chronicle of Higher Education in May, Charlie Ruger, the Charles Koch Foundation’s vice president of philanthropy, described Republicans' push to ban these concepts from schools as a gag on free expression. — Thomas Beaumont, ajc, 29 Sep. 2021 That beat is often a familiar one: The Scorsese influence is unmistakable, especially in the use of incongruously cheerful or romantic pop tunes (often Tom Jones covers as a nice little running gag) to soundtrack moments of high peril or violence. — Jessica Kiang, Variety, 11 Sep. 2021 The cameo comes as something of a gag, since Laganja has, since her eighth-place run on her own season back in 2014, been fairly vocal about saying no to returning for an All Stars season. — Wolfgang Ruth, Vulture, 2 July 2021 Though not aiming for big belly laughs, the script offers a good deal of wry humor and has a terrific running gag involving the use of taser guns. — Richard Kuipers, Variety, 8 Oct. 2021 But Dani has barely had anything to do in between, other than the running gag in the funeral episode about his difficulty wearing dress shoes. — Alan Sepinwall, Rolling Stone, 8 Oct. 2021 But over the past year, a running gag has developed on Last Week Tonight of Oliver regularly making horny-but-surreal references to Driver, often in the midst of unrelated monologues. — Christian Holub, EW.com, 20 Sep. 2021 Twitter briefly suspended him for this running gag, but, after his fans protested, his account was reinstated. — Andrew Marantz, The New Yorker, 28 Aug. 2021

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'gag.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.