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
James Grebey, Vulture, 31 Jan. 2026
Twain, of course, never stooped to fart jokes or hunchback gags in pursuit of a giggle.
—Seth Abramovitch, HollywoodReporter, 30 Jan. 2026
These performances, which include plenty of great one-liners and physical gags but also unearth subtler shades of frustration and self-doubt, are some of my favorites of hers.
—Judy Berman, Time, 30 Jan. 2026
So many songs, poems, novels, films, and gags.
—Literary Hub, 29 Jan. 2026
The film artfully blends wacky gags and references with resonant themes that affect our world, including discrimination and unconscious bias, satisfying viewers of all ages.
—James Mercadante, Entertainment Weekly, 20 Jan. 2026
Some jokes poked fun at familiar topics like George Clooney’s Nespresso ads or the age of Leonardo DiCaprio’s girlfriends or Kevin Hart’s height, but there were plenty of other gags in there, too.
—Issy Ronald, CNN Money, 12 Jan. 2026
Perhaps the more vulgar visual gags with butts and such look a little more innocent in 3D?
—Lindsey Bahr, Boston Herald, 20 Dec. 2025
These gags can be funny, but the propulsive mechanics of farce require more of a sense of movement.
—Helen Shaw, New Yorker, 18 Dec. 2025
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
One is an exercise that only Sam Raimi could do; the other manages to do an absurd amount of gags despite being burdened with the weight of being a real movie.
—James Grebey, Vulture, 31 Jan. 2026
Twain, of course, never stooped to fart jokes or hunchback gags in pursuit of a giggle.
—Seth Abramovitch, HollywoodReporter, 30 Jan. 2026
These performances, which include plenty of great one-liners and physical gags but also unearth subtler shades of frustration and self-doubt, are some of my favorites of hers.
—Judy Berman, Time, 30 Jan. 2026
So many songs, poems, novels, films, and gags.
—Literary Hub, 29 Jan. 2026
The film artfully blends wacky gags and references with resonant themes that affect our world, including discrimination and unconscious bias, satisfying viewers of all ages.
—James Mercadante, Entertainment Weekly, 20 Jan. 2026
Some jokes poked fun at familiar topics like George Clooney’s Nespresso ads or the age of Leonardo DiCaprio’s girlfriends or Kevin Hart’s height, but there were plenty of other gags in there, too.
—Issy Ronald, CNN Money, 12 Jan. 2026
Perhaps the more vulgar visual gags with butts and such look a little more innocent in 3D?
—Lindsey Bahr, Boston Herald, 20 Dec. 2025
These gags can be funny, but the propulsive mechanics of farce require more of a sense of movement.
—Helen Shaw, New Yorker, 18 Dec. 2025
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
-
Williams plays his colleague Gaby, best friend to his dead wife and a ball of passion and dirty jokes.—
CT Jones,
Rolling Stone,
26 Jan. 2026
-
That’s a compliment, of course, as these are very, very funny jokes.—
Christian Zilko,
IndieWire,
26 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Reba McEntire is a survivor — of six years of pranks!—
Wesley Stenzel,
Entertainment Weekly,
27 Jan. 2026
-
This is an utterly throwaway slice of college comedy, rather more concerned with sports, pranks, and teen/20-something romance than getting lost on the final frontier.—
Richard Edwards,
Space.com,
22 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
My cat vomits once every week or two.—
Jane Sykes,
Washington Post,
5 Jan. 2026
-
Be aware the virus may be aerosolized when someone vomits, meaning surfaces several feet away could be contaminated, the USDA said.—
Hannah Poukish,
Sacbee.com,
15 Dec. 2025
Verb
-
Bond chokes Blofeld, who quickly dies from the virus.—
Allison DeGrushe,
Entertainment Weekly,
28 Jan. 2026
-
Much of the work focused on pulling out English ivy, an invasive vine known for slowly killing trees, and clearing debris that chokes the forest floor.—
Brian Unger,
CBS News,
19 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
There were a couple of unexpected wipeouts, including one by David Pastrnak, that elicited laughs from teammates.—
Steve Conroy,
Boston Herald,
31 Jan. 2026
-
The movie’s biggest laughs come from Kevin’s hijinks, which involve setting up complex booby traps to fend off a pair of burglars targeting his family’s home.—
Shirley Li,
The Atlantic,
30 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Read on for the ultimate guide for how to stack necklaces, complete with eight tips and tricks to achieve the layered look for yourself.—
Abby Morgan Lebet,
Glamour,
3 Feb. 2026
-
They were locked in an aerial arms race, trying to one-up each other with more difficult tricks.—
Sean Gregory,
Time,
3 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Gags.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gags. Accessed 5 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
