wagged; wagging
1
: to be in motion : stir
2
: to move to and fro or up and down especially with quick jerky motions
3
: to move in chatter or gossip
scandal caused tongues to wag
4
archaic
: depart
5
: waddle
1
: to swing to and fro or up and down especially with quick jerky motions : switch
a dog wagging its tail
specifically
: to nod (the head) or shake (a finger) at (as in assent or mild reproof)
2
: to move (the tongue) animatedly in conversation
wagger
noun
Examples of wag in a Sentence
Verb
The dog wagged its tail.
She wagged her finger at the children as she scolded them.
He wagged his head back and forth.
The dog's tail began to wag excitedly.
Noun (1)
the dog gave its tail a single wag before it flopped back down
Noun (2)
some wag wrote a droll satire on the scandal for the newspaper
Recent Examples on the Web
Jessica Schladebeck, New York Daily News, 30 July 2025
The little dog waited with me by the gate, wagging her tail gently.
—Literary Hub, 29 July 2025
Jody Mamone, Hartford Courant, 17 July 2025
Two hours later, an emotional encounter full of tail wags and smiles played out as Captain and Wood were joyfully reunited in the most unusual of circumstances.
—Jack Beresford, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for wag
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Verb
The Republican senator wagged his finger at the woke community, chastising their outrage in a social media post that also included an image of a topless Sweeney in the American Eagle jeans at the center of the controversial ad.
—Jessica Schladebeck, New York Daily News, 30 July 2025
The little dog waited with me by the gate, wagging her tail gently.
—Literary Hub, 29 July 2025
Noun
Maybe a nameless urban wag first dubbed them battleships on some Fleet Street in another town.
—Jody Mamone, Hartford Courant, 17 July 2025
Two hours later, an emotional encounter full of tail wags and smiles played out as Captain and Wood were joyfully reunited in the most unusual of circumstances.
—Jack Beresford, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for wag
Cite this Entry
“Wag.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/wag. Accessed 20 Aug. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
wag
1 of 3 verb
wagged; wagging
: to move or swing to and fro or up and down especially with quick jerky movements
the dog wagged its tail
wagged his finger as he scolded
wagger
noun
wag
2 of 3 noun
: a wagging movement
wag
3 of 3 noun
: joker sense 1, wit
Etymology
Verb
Middle English waggen "to be in motion, move about"
Noun
probably a shortened form of obsolete waghalter "a person who should be hanged"
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