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
Relevance
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Dan Perry, Newsweek, 18 Mar. 2025
Local wags in the Tahoe region wryly simplify the options: Go to the end of your driveway and turn right or turn left.
—Calmatters, The Mercury News, 20 Mar. 2025
Alyce Collins, MSNBC Newsweek, 13 June 2025
The Democratic Party must end the strategy of staging themselves two steps to the left of Republicans while also wagging their tail to their corporate masters and expecting people’s votes.
—Dp Opinion, Denver Post, 10 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for wag
Noun
According to Sweetie Pet Products, the position, speed, and direction of a wag all contribute to a canine's overall body language.
—Dan Perry, Newsweek, 18 Mar. 2025
Local wags in the Tahoe region wryly simplify the options: Go to the end of your driveway and turn right or turn left.
—Calmatters, The Mercury News, 20 Mar. 2025
Verb
He can be seen wagging his tail and standing at his owner's feet on the other side.
—Alyce Collins, MSNBC Newsweek, 13 June 2025
The Democratic Party must end the strategy of staging themselves two steps to the left of Republicans while also wagging their tail to their corporate masters and expecting people’s votes.
—Dp Opinion, Denver Post, 10 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for wag
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wag
Verb
-
The moths were still able to flap their wings freely and turn in different directions.—
Sarah Kuta,
Smithsonian Magazine,
23 June 2025
-
The vinyl rain gutter sagged and melted, its plastic material flapping in the wind like a flag, and the window shattered shortly after, letting the flames enter the interior.—
Jack Flemming,
Los Angeles Times,
11 June 2025
Verb
-
Small wonder that intelligence services had to work overtime gathering every scrap of information or even gossip to learn even the basics about another country's simple economic statistics – much less its secrets.—
David Szondy
May 31,
New Atlas,
31 May 2025
-
During the Cannes Film Festival, a melting pot of worldly accents can be heard gossiping at beach clubs, waiting on movie queues and shouting at wild afterparties — but one rang most excited, the gleeful Italian cadence of Marco Calvani.—
Matt Donnelly,
Variety,
23 May 2025
Verb
-
His forlorn whale-eyes scanned left to right, eyebrows bobbing in turn.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
30 June 2025
-
But what followed stunned him: Zoro bobbed up, paddling with ease.—
Alice Gibbs,
MSNBC Newsweek,
29 June 2025
Verb
-
The history of zombie movies is littered with cheap, DIY horror flicks by low-budget filmmakers with inventiveness and gusto.—
James Grebey,
Time,
20 June 2025
-
The grip is relaxed rather than tense, and the design encourages a whole-hand movement style rather than finger flicking.—
PC Magazine,
PC Magazine,
11 June 2025
Verb
-
Here to talk more about this is Tax Notes investigations editor Lauren Loricchio.—
Tax Notes Staff,
Forbes.com,
1 July 2025
-
Through it all, Thune kept talking to Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, a moderate Mainer who blanched at the bill’s Medicaid cuts.—
Burgess Everett,
semafor.com,
1 July 2025
Verb
-
The tragedy shook the small Ohio town — and stunned viewers who remembered the Stockdale family's 2008 appearance on ABC's Wife Swap.—
Christina Coulter,
People.com,
21 June 2025
-
And beside them, Milford, Weymouth and St. John’s of Shrewsbury also shook off their sub-20 seeding to advance at least once in an all-time showing of parity.—
Tom Mulherin,
Boston Herald,
21 June 2025
Verb
-
Animated objects tend to activate the deeply rooted human impulse to perceive things that move as alive—a tendency harnessed to great effect in the uncannily twitching wires of Pol Bury’s reliefs or Robert Breer’s creeping domes.—
Marina Isgro,
Artforum,
1 June 2025
-
The early symptoms include muscle weakness, cramps, twitching, stiff muscles, speech challenges, trouble swallowing, and drooling.—
Alyce Collins,
MSNBC Newsweek,
12 June 2025
Verb
-
Foreigners have responded by pumping money into America and now own 18% of the U.S. stock market, according to Apollo chief economist Torsten Sløk.—
Greg McKenna,
Fortune,
24 June 2025
-
The latest addition the InMotion's range will certainly get the adrenaline pumping with a top speed of 43.5 mph (70 km/h).—
Paul Ridden
June 24,
New Atlas,
24 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Wag.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wag. Accessed 4 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share