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
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Recent Examples of gag
Emma Gometz, Scientific American, 13 Feb. 2026
Running gags include Moses’ age, certain players’ penchant for forgetfulness and star receiver Stefon Diggs’ proclivity for procreation.
—Michael Silver, New York Times, 5 Feb. 2026
Stephanie Petit, PEOPLE, 18 Dec. 2025
Tressa Lynn Pettibone, 33, had been beaten, tied up, gagged and fatally stabbed twice in the neck and once in the side.
—Amanda Lee Myers, USA Today, 10 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for gag
Noun
Why Madagascar hissing cockroaches are actually romantic Naming a roach for Valentine’s Day is a great gag, but also these critters are capable of hissing their way into your heart.
—Emma Gometz, Scientific American, 13 Feb. 2026
Running gags include Moses’ age, certain players’ penchant for forgetfulness and star receiver Stefon Diggs’ proclivity for procreation.
—Michael Silver, New York Times, 5 Feb. 2026
Verb
There, the family exchanges gag gifts on Christmas Eve before making a public walk to church on Christmas morning.
—Stephanie Petit, PEOPLE, 18 Dec. 2025
Tressa Lynn Pettibone, 33, had been beaten, tied up, gagged and fatally stabbed twice in the neck and once in the side.
—Amanda Lee Myers, USA Today, 10 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for gag
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gag
Noun
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Gwen then cracks a joke about firing Del Rio's character.—
Wesley Stenzel,
Entertainment Weekly,
27 Feb. 2026
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There is a drawing of a child crouched on a ride-on suitcase, notes for a joke Fleming posted online in January.—
Kathryn VanArendonk,
Vulture,
26 Feb. 2026
Noun
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As an online genre, the street prank looks bottomless.—
Christopher Borrelli,
Chicago Tribune,
25 Feb. 2026
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Originally from Strasbourg, near the German border, the French creator rose to fame on lip syncs and pranks, hopping from Instagram to YouTube to TikTok.—
Kenneal Patterson,
Vanity Fair,
19 Feb. 2026
Verb
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During the first couple of months, people may feel the urge to vomit, nausea in the morning and abdominal discomfort.—
Tribune News Service,
Baltimore Sun,
19 Feb. 2026
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Whichever predator was involved, Henrici notes that the regurgitalite confirms that one of these animals snacked broadly on the smaller critters around it and could vomit up indigestible material, much as modern owls and Komodo dragons do today.—
Meghan Bartels,
Scientific American,
18 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Algae blooms choke our waterways.—
Yoca Arditi-Rocha,
The Orlando Sentinel,
20 Feb. 2026
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Their inclusion on the recent flight comes as the United States chokes the nation’s oil supplies in a bid for negotiations that could end up in regime change, sparking questions about whether Cuba will take more deportations to ease the political and economic pressure.—
Syra Ortiz Blanes,
Miami Herald,
19 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Its cast is exactly the sprightly ensemble needed to land its what-if laughs.—
Robert Abele,
Los Angeles Times,
20 Feb. 2026
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Uma said, her ominous laugh ending the movie.—
Sydney Bucksbaum,
Entertainment Weekly,
20 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Wang Xindi won his first Olympic gold earlier today after landing a trick with five twists in the aerial event.—
Andrew Greif,
NBC news,
20 Feb. 2026
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From selecting the perfect bag, to using versatile pouches, and choosing your accessories methodically, these are my tips and tricks for personal item packing.—
Taylor Fox,
Travel + Leisure,
19 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Harry Styles is ready to do some late-night joking.—
Brendan Morrow,
USA Today,
23 Feb. 2026
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Written in a joking and contemptuous tone, the tweet would take on an indescribably morbid weight just five days later, when, at the behest of Governor Cláudio Castro, the Rio de Janeiro police carried out the deadliest massacre in the country’s history.—
Evandro Cruz Silva,
The Dial,
10 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Gag.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gag. Accessed 27 Feb. 2026.
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