wag 1 of 3

noun (1)

Definition of wagnext
as in flap
a quick jerky movement from side to side or up and down the dog gave its tail a single wag before it flopped back down

Synonyms & Similar Words

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wag

2 of 3

noun (2)

as in comedian
a person (as a writer) noted for or specializing in humor some wag wrote a droll satire on the scandal for the newspaper

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wag

3 of 3

verb

ˈwag How to pronounce wag (audio)
1
as in to flap
to move from side to side or up and down with quick jerky motions the cat's tail wagged back and forth in annoyance

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2
as in to gossip
to relate sometimes questionable or secret information of a personal nature tongues will wag as soon as word of the house's selling price gets around

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to bob
to make short up-and-down movements the bird's head wagged jerkily as it looked for worms

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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 wag
Noun
These pre-conditions to talks were discussed at the EFL meeting, which just so happened to be held in The Belfry’s Masters Suite, or, as one wag put it, the room whose door is always open. — Matt Slater, New York Times, 21 Mar. 2026 Upon the occasion of his seventh block, Ejiofor rolled back downcourt giving the crowd a Dikembe Mutumbo-esque finger wag. — Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 15 Mar. 2026
Verb
Or, remember when Republicans wagged their fingers at former President Barack Obama’s golf outings? — S.e. Cupp, New York Daily News, 18 June 2026 Bruce was next seen wrapped in towels on the boat, wagging his tail happily after being rescued. — Escher Walcott, PEOPLE, 9 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for wag
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wag
  1. flap
  2. comedian
  3. flick
  4. gossip
  5. bob
  6. twitch
  7. swing
  8. talk
Noun
  • The foil and keel are powered by the 800 V rear e-axle from the new Ferrari Luce and the flaps are driven by a 48 V electric motor.
    — Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 9 July 2026
  • Zufferey and his team discovered that the robot could launch itself successfully using only its wing size, flap frequency, and tail pitch.
    — Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 9 July 2026
Definition of flap
Noun
  • The superstar couple wed in a ceremony on July 3, which was officiated by actor and comedian Adam Sandler, a representative for Swift confirmed to ABC News at the time.
    — Mason Leib, ABC News, 10 July 2026
  • Harvey is a comedian and satirist who, as Count Binface, has run against three prime ministers in the past decade.
    — Fatima Al-Kassab, NPR, 10 July 2026
Definition of comedian
Verb
  • Kevin Rodriguez eases past Jamal Musiala to flick the ball into the corridor of uncertainty between Manuel Neuer and Jonathan Tah, who had already had a miscommunication earlier in the game.
    — Anantaajith Raghuraman, New York Times, 14 July 2026
  • The action of continuously flicking a typical mouse wheel up and down can be slow and tedious as well difficult to control, even with infinite scroll wheels.
    — Shirl Leigh July 12, New Atlas, 12 July 2026
Definition of flick
Verb
  • If her fellow cast members were debriefed about her dismissal or gossiped amongst themselves, it was not shown onscreen.
    — KiMi Robinson, USA Today, 1 July 2026
  • GiGi had been on the phone for the past hour, the receiver tucked between her head and her left shoulder, a Prince album playing loudly so Syl couldn’t hear her gossiping.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 18 June 2026
Definition of gossip
Verb
  • Guidry, at the prow, raised the lantern, revealed in the circle oflight a bobbing tangle of sargassum weed, a swimming snake, a child’s cloth doll.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 16 July 2026
  • Their long, droopy tails would likely pull them downward and send their snouts bobbing up.
    — Mack DeGeurin, Popular Science, 15 July 2026
Definition of bob
Noun
  • The San Francisco 49ers’ offseason workouts came and went this month, and Bryce Huff didn’t even feel a twitch.
    — Vic Tafur, New York Times, 30 June 2026
  • That quick-twitch juice shows in pads.
    — Steven Johnson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 17 June 2026
Definition of twitch
Verb
  • Three tries in a seven-minute span, including two when Australian fullback Tom Wright was on the sidelines for a yellow card, swung momentum fully in favor of the back-to-back Six Nations champions.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 11 July 2026
  • Chip stocks — once the hottest corner of the market — also swung sharply as investors continued to question whether the AI trade had become overextended.
    — Alexa LoMonaco, CNBC, 11 July 2026
Definition of swing
Verb
  • Never mind that Canales doesn’t speak Spanish himself — the way that Telemundo announcers start talking faster as the action on the pitch intensifies is its own kind of language.
    — Harmeet Kaur, CNN Money, 16 July 2026
  • Now’s the time for the Party to think about it—potential pairings have a little time to court one another—and to start talking themselves into the idea that this could be rewarding and even kind of fun.
    — Bill McKibben, New Yorker, 16 July 2026
Definition of talk

Browse Nearby Words

wafts
wag
wage
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Cite this Entry

“Wag.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wag. Accessed 18 Jul. 2026.

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