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
Synonyms & Similar Words
1
2
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
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Recent Examples of gag
Jazz Tangcay, Variety, 26 May 2026
Reaper Man, a reworking of the 1934 film Death Takes a Holiday, is among the first Discworld novels to incorporate real pathos alongside the gags.
—Helen Lewis, The Atlantic, 24 May 2026
Alli Rosenbloom, CNN Money, 1 May 2026
Babies may gag instead of coughing, turn red or blue or briefly stop breathing.
—Matthew Rodriguez, CBS News, 30 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for gag
Noun
Co-director McKenna Harris revealed that there were a few more gags that didn’t make it into the film.
—Jazz Tangcay, Variety, 26 May 2026
Reaper Man, a reworking of the 1934 film Death Takes a Holiday, is among the first Discworld novels to incorporate real pathos alongside the gags.
—Helen Lewis, The Atlantic, 24 May 2026
Verb
In 2020, D’Amelio and her sister Dixie were criticized for making faces and gagging noises to food served to them by personal chef Aaron May during an episode of a YouTube show.
—Alli Rosenbloom, CNN Money, 1 May 2026
Babies may gag instead of coughing, turn red or blue or briefly stop breathing.
—Matthew Rodriguez, CBS News, 30 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for gag
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gag
Noun
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And yet, Chisholm’s chat with Fallon sparked some jokes and blowback after the host asked the colorful character what the Yankees’ ultimate goal is this season.—
Gary Phillips,
New York Daily News,
4 June 2026
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The majority of the jokes come off as more asserted than delighted.—
Owen Gleiberman,
Variety,
4 June 2026
Noun
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The festival is rooted in the story of Lord Krishna, the reincarnation of Lord Vishnu, who is said to have played pranks by splashing maids with water and colors.—
Hanna Wickes,
Sacbee.com,
2 June 2026
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It is rooted in the story of Lord Krishna, a reincarnation of Lord Vishnu, who played pranks splashing maids with water and colors.—
Hanna Wickes,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
2 June 2026
Verb
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At the parties, both boys and girls drank excessively, often leading to vomiting.—
Robert Salonga,
Mercury News,
28 May 2026
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In the second, highly lethal variant of the Black Death, patients typically exhibited no initial symptoms, such as the onset of a fever or the appearance of buboes, but instead would suddenly begin to vomit up blood (that was usually dark in color) and typically died soon thereafter.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
27 May 2026
Verb
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Hilton has raised crucial issues about Newsom’s overspending, low state K-12 test scores, high taxes choking the middle class, high gas prices and the endemic housing and homelessness crises.—
John Seiler,
Oc Register,
29 May 2026
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As discomforting as that sounds, there is no proof the 7-foot, 9-inch dolphin choked to death, according to Lauren Rust, executive director of the Lowcountry Marine Mammal Network and South Carolina Marine Mammal Stranding Coordinator.—
Mark Price,
Charlotte Observer,
29 May 2026
Noun
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The quest to find the better joke, the stronger laugh—that’s reason enough to keep on living.—
Michael Schulman,
New Yorker,
29 May 2026
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These people had huge laughs Thursday morning over their airport Bloody Marys after realizing their words were treated as if serious.—
Joe Rexrode,
New York Times,
29 May 2026
Noun
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And are there any tips and tricks for planning and executing the perfect anti-aging trip?—
Alessandra Signorelli,
Vogue,
29 May 2026
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Since Hathaway's viral video, people have posted themselves doing her trick, sometimes to shocking results.—
Charles Trepany,
USA Today,
29 May 2026
Noun
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Sometimes a playful comment, an unexpected reply or a joking callout between brands takes on a life of its own online.—
Expert Panel®,
Forbes.com,
20 May 2026
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Despite that underlying tension, kids play on the street outside while the large family has a dynamic like any other — noisily squabbling, joking, or in the case of the matriarchal grandmother, Mariam (Hiam Abbass), preparing a meal in a kitchen plagued by constant utility outages.—
David Rooney,
HollywoodReporter,
15 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Gag.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gag. Accessed 6 Jun. 2026.
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