1
as in jokes
something said or done to cause laughter
the movie featured a gag involving a chicken driving a car that audiences thought was hysterically funny
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in pranks
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
as in vomits
to discharge the contents of the stomach through the mouth
the terrible smell of rotting fish made me gag
Synonyms & Similar Words
2
3
as in quips
to make jokes
the actor typically mugs and gags through his movies, but in his latest vehicle he plays it straight
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of gags
Emily Nussbaum, New Yorker, 17 May 2026
There are hyper-local gags about the Williamsburg bar Union Pool and the undesirability of living in the Financial District, and a creature known as Rat Pizza — like Pizza Rat in reverse.
—Alison Herman, Variety, 20 Apr. 2026
However, the iconic couch gags are far less frequent these days.
—Brenton Blanchet, PEOPLE, 20 Apr. 2026
Instead of cozying up in its own nostalgia, Titanique treats it as just another toy in a big box of gags, many cheap and all nutty and shameless.
—Sara Holdren, Vulture, 13 Apr. 2026
Earlier in their conversation, Mulaney prefaced that Forte often enjoyed pulling gags that seemed to prank himself rather than the other person.
—Emlyn Travis, Entertainment Weekly, 13 Apr. 2026
Kelly’s videos, delivered in her distinctive, pitchy voice (think Valley girl with notes of humdrum detachment a la the famously monotone comedian Ben Stein), are both personal and woven with running gags.
—Rachel Brodsky, Rolling Stone, 12 Apr. 2026
Allen’s shows are designed to be evergreens with few topical gags so they can be repeated.
—Los Angeles Times, 6 Apr. 2026
Don't forget to dust off your favorite April Fool's gags today.
—Joe Mutascio, IndyStar, 1 Apr. 2026
Kevin Dolak, HollywoodReporter, 13 Jan. 2026
Some gags land, others don’t, and the script’s sudden bursts of melancholy dependably catch you in the gut.
—Nicholas Quah, Vulture, 9 Sep. 2025
Noun
The scene used one of the film’s funniest visual gags, an apartment so crazily tilted that nobody inside it could stand up straight.
—Emily Nussbaum, New Yorker, 17 May 2026
There are hyper-local gags about the Williamsburg bar Union Pool and the undesirability of living in the Financial District, and a creature known as Rat Pizza — like Pizza Rat in reverse.
—Alison Herman, Variety, 20 Apr. 2026
However, the iconic couch gags are far less frequent these days.
—Brenton Blanchet, PEOPLE, 20 Apr. 2026
Instead of cozying up in its own nostalgia, Titanique treats it as just another toy in a big box of gags, many cheap and all nutty and shameless.
—Sara Holdren, Vulture, 13 Apr. 2026
Earlier in their conversation, Mulaney prefaced that Forte often enjoyed pulling gags that seemed to prank himself rather than the other person.
—Emlyn Travis, Entertainment Weekly, 13 Apr. 2026
Kelly’s videos, delivered in her distinctive, pitchy voice (think Valley girl with notes of humdrum detachment a la the famously monotone comedian Ben Stein), are both personal and woven with running gags.
—Rachel Brodsky, Rolling Stone, 12 Apr. 2026
Allen’s shows are designed to be evergreens with few topical gags so they can be repeated.
—Los Angeles Times, 6 Apr. 2026
Don't forget to dust off your favorite April Fool's gags today.
—Joe Mutascio, IndyStar, 1 Apr. 2026
Verb
Speaking with Stern on post-Globes Monday for an episode that aired Tuesday, Glaser shared why gags about the current political climate were absent from the show.
—Kevin Dolak, HollywoodReporter, 13 Jan. 2026
Some gags land, others don’t, and the script’s sudden bursts of melancholy dependably catch you in the gut.
—Nicholas Quah, Vulture, 9 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gags
Noun
-
The jokes landed because the admiration underneath them was unmistakable.—
Clayton Davis,
Variety,
18 May 2026
-
Last week’s The Roast of Kevin Hart remains at #2 as clips of the jokes keep going viral on social media.—
Paul Tassi,
Forbes.com,
18 May 2026
Noun
-
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
-
This send-off mixes new stunts with archival footage, promising the usual outlandish pranks and blunt-force impacts to sensitive bodily regions.—
Tracy Brown,
Los Angeles Times,
14 May 2026
Verb
-
Shows were led by a sentient wad of meat, a talk-show host who vomits in front of guests, and a reality-TV star who never shows his face.—
Eric Vilas-Boas,
Vulture,
18 Mar. 2026
-
Absinthe-eyed, she projectile-vomits blunt observations and also oysters onto the heavies, overimbibing her way into her own grave once she’s inevitably discarded with a shot and shove down a stairwell (a barely-there John Magaro plays one of the gangsters).—
Ryan Lattanzio,
IndieWire,
4 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Not the one who chokes in the playoffs.—
Geoff Clark OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
7 May 2026
-
Democratic lawmakers aren’t particularly sympathetic to the industry, pointing to reports of soaring profits for oil companies as the war chokes consumers around the world.—
Sacbee.com,
Sacbee.com,
6 May 2026
Noun
-
The tech is terrifying, but it’s treated matter-of-factly, played for barked laughs.—
Inkoo Kang,
New Yorker,
17 May 2026
-
How important to you is comedy and releasing tension with laughs?—
Joshua Rothkopf,
Los Angeles Times,
17 May 2026
Noun
-
As his tricks progressed, the Young Man felt horrified and confused at the same time.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
20 May 2026
-
From that moment on, people in Cuba have been unable to access El Estornudo except through technological tricks like VPNs and proxies that alter their geolocation.—
Abraham Jiménez Enoa,
The Dial,
19 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Gags.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gags. Accessed 23 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
