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
Dave Quinn, PEOPLE, 24 Apr. 2026
Over Your Dead Body knows that sustaining a harmonious union amid petty jealousies, paranoia, and personal flaws is hard; navigating a hostage situation involving desperate sickos and sociopaths is even harder; and maintaining a balance of laughs and gag-reflex tweaking is the hardest of it all.
—David Fear, Rolling Stone, 24 Apr. 2026
Matthew Rodriguez, CBS News, 30 Apr. 2026
In July 2013, Anderson and Walker were found bound, gagged, tortured and shot to death in Anderson’s home, according to police.
—Grethel Aguila, Miami Herald, 29 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for gag
Noun
Even the infamous moment when Frank dispatches Eddie (Harvey Guillén) with a chainsaw lands more like a gag than a shock.
—Dave Quinn, PEOPLE, 24 Apr. 2026
Over Your Dead Body knows that sustaining a harmonious union amid petty jealousies, paranoia, and personal flaws is hard; navigating a hostage situation involving desperate sickos and sociopaths is even harder; and maintaining a balance of laughs and gag-reflex tweaking is the hardest of it all.
—David Fear, Rolling Stone, 24 Apr. 2026
Verb
Babies may gag instead of coughing, turn red or blue or briefly stop breathing.
—Matthew Rodriguez, CBS News, 30 Apr. 2026
In July 2013, Anderson and Walker were found bound, gagged, tortured and shot to death in Anderson’s home, according to police.
—Grethel Aguila, Miami Herald, 29 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for gag
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gag
Noun
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Just ask Harris, whose handling of the border under Biden became a running joke in politics.—
Burgess Everett,
semafor.com,
14 May 2026
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Now, if there’s some people telling these jokes at a church service, that would be one thing.—
Théoden Janes,
Charlotte Observer,
14 May 2026
Noun
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During a news conference Thursday, members of the group said the early morning operation was part of an ongoing campaign of harassment, including members being followed home and prank calls on their hotline.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
19 May 2026
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Shortly after midnight on May 25, prosecutors said the same group of teens were driving around San Mateo pulling pranks on classmates from Hillsdale High School.—
Tim Fang,
CBS News,
14 May 2026
Verb
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Hellerer was an executive at Google and began feeling miserable in her corporate life, having panic attacks and vomiting in the bathroom.—
Alexa Mikhail,
Flow Space,
22 May 2026
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Clarke recalled crawling to the bathroom and vomiting from the pain before realizing something was seriously wrong.—
Angelique Brenes,
PEOPLE,
15 May 2026
Verb
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The Strait of Hormuz remains choked.—
Jason Kirsch,
Forbes.com,
20 May 2026
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The woman said she was beaten and choked for hours.—
Grethel Aguila,
Miami Herald,
18 May 2026
Noun
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The pitch-black vacuum of space laughs.—
Sophie Brookover,
Vulture,
22 May 2026
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Just another unfunny piece of political propaganda devoid of any laughs whatsoever.—
Jon Root OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
22 May 2026
Noun
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Even when some of the tricks become apparent, each new repetition somehow delivers more than the last, though the weightless, old-school video game aesthetic of the alien monster design sticks out even more amid the stylishness of the world captured in-camera.—
Guy Lodge,
Variety,
22 May 2026
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Vogue consulted with masterful artists such as Tasha Reiko Brown, Amy Komorowski, Emma Day, and Aika Danica Flores to get their tricks for achieving low-key, everyday makeup looks that are undetectable to even the most trained of eyes.—
Christian Allaire,
Vogue,
22 May 2026
Noun
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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
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The president has long bristled at the otherwise customary joking at his expense by celebrity comedians.—
Dennis Romero,
NBC news,
28 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Gag.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gag. Accessed 23 May. 2026.
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