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
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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
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Recent Examples of gags
Hua Hsu, New Yorker, 29 Apr. 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
His incredulity about their increasingly risky adventures—this is the one that involves a Pontiac Fiero in outer space—becomes one of the film’s running gags.
—Hua Hsu, New Yorker, 29 Apr. 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
-
Tom Brady, who was the victim of Netflix’s last celebrity roast in 2024, made a surprise appearance at Kevin Hart’s roast Sunday to launch a few jokes at the comedian before the night got underway.—
Payton Turkeltaub,
Variety,
11 May 2026
-
Insults were par for the course at The Roast of Kevin Hart, but some jokes had more acid than others.—
Jason P. Frank,
Vulture,
11 May 2026
Noun
-
In the midst of one of their classic pranks, Ivy (Temple) and Ollie (Jordan) stumble into a magic flower and awaken in each other's body.—
Madeleine Janz,
PEOPLE,
30 Apr. 2026
-
And compared to some of Fleury’s past pranks on teammates, a few misplaced letters on a nameplate would be relatively light.—
Jess Myers,
Twin Cities,
15 Apr. 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
-
There are moments when Lily feels lost and anxious, and another scene where a panicked sheep knocks over furniture, although that is played for laughs.—
Patrick Ryan,
USA Today,
8 May 2026
-
Even Gawker’s star investigative reporter Adrian Chen, whose exposé of the dark web marketplace Silk Road was a huge scoop, could generate laughs.—
Frank DiGiacomo,
HollywoodReporter,
8 May 2026
Noun
-
Talent can be seen everywhere, as some students have been able to incorporate back flips and other tricks to elevate their game.—
Marcella Baietto,
CBS News,
12 May 2026
-
Regular Maintenance Is Key Even with helpful tricks and ideal placement, regular cleaning remains the most effective way to keep algae under control.—
Jessica Safavimehr,
Southern Living,
12 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Gags.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gags. Accessed 16 May. 2026.
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