1
as in flapped
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
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2
as in talked
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
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Recent Examples of wagged
Kadri looked up, briefly, then wagged a gloved finger in appreciation.
—
Sean Keeler, Denver Post, 9 Mar. 2026
Andy hopped onto a nearby settee and wagged his tail.
—Margaret Moorman, New Yorker, 22 Feb. 2026
After his score was announced Tuesday, Malinin’s coach, Rafael Arutyunyan, confidently wagged a single finger in the air.
—Los Angeles Times, 10 Feb. 2026
Major League Baseball wagged a finger with one hand and palmed gate receipts and a new TV deal in the other.
—Jeremy Collins, The Atlantic, 12 Dec. 2025
The once-weak puppy woke up with new energy—and even wagged her tail for the first time.
—Alice Gibbs, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Nov. 2025
His dog, Bull, wagged his tail and sniffed at the patch of browning grass under his paws.
—Molly Davis, Nashville Tennessean, 12 Nov. 2025
Hope then asked to hold the pup, who has curly sandy-colored fur and wagged her tail as the 6-year-old held her in her arms (with a little help from her mom).
—Hannah Sacks, People.com, 2 Sep. 2025
The pair shared curious stares and wagged tails throughout the three-hour journey, delighting those seated nearby.
—Kendall Malinchock, USA Today, 21 Aug. 2025
Sean Keeler, Denver Post, 9 Mar. 2026
Andy hopped onto a nearby settee and wagged his tail.
—Margaret Moorman, New Yorker, 22 Feb. 2026
After his score was announced Tuesday, Malinin’s coach, Rafael Arutyunyan, confidently wagged a single finger in the air.
—Los Angeles Times, 10 Feb. 2026
Major League Baseball wagged a finger with one hand and palmed gate receipts and a new TV deal in the other.
—Jeremy Collins, The Atlantic, 12 Dec. 2025
The once-weak puppy woke up with new energy—and even wagged her tail for the first time.
—Alice Gibbs, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Nov. 2025
His dog, Bull, wagged his tail and sniffed at the patch of browning grass under his paws.
—Molly Davis, Nashville Tennessean, 12 Nov. 2025
Hope then asked to hold the pup, who has curly sandy-colored fur and wagged her tail as the 6-year-old held her in her arms (with a little help from her mom).
—Hannah Sacks, People.com, 2 Sep. 2025
The pair shared curious stares and wagged tails throughout the three-hour journey, delighting those seated nearby.
—Kendall Malinchock, USA Today, 21 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wagged
Verb
-
The jacket hugged every contour of your torso and never flapped in the wind.—
The Editors,
Outside,
18 Mar. 2026
-
As is customary for the deaths of first responders, a gigantic American flag flapped from a crane outside the morgue.—
Sam Charles,
Chicago Tribune,
17 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Neighbors have talked to neighbors.—
Ilana Arougheti,
Kansas City Star,
25 Mar. 2026
-
It shouldn’t be judged through a lens of how Democrats talked in 2016.—
David Weigel,
semafor.com,
25 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Muhar walked beside a pond at the Tejon Spreading Works, where ducks bobbed in the shallow water.—
Ian James,
Los Angeles Times,
21 Mar. 2026
-
Silver patches poke through deep chestnut hair that, not long ago, bobbed in a ponytail on her long runs.—
Gerald Witt,
AJC.com,
1 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Goodwin, in the 77th minute, flicked in a header off a cross by David Schnegg for his first goal in MLS and capped the scoring in the third minute of stoppage time.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
22 Mar. 2026
-
Goodwin, in the 77th minute, flicked in a header off a cross by David Schnegg for his first goal in MLS and capped the scoring in the third minute of stoppage time.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
21 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Lilian liked Anna, who was on the school board, knew what was going on, and gossiped matter-of-factly with neither pettiness nor zeal.—
Yiyun Li,
New Yorker,
1 Mar. 2026
-
The records have thousands of references to Trump, including emails in which Epstein and others shared news articles, commented on his policies, or gossiped about him and his family.—
Michael R. Sisak,
Fortune,
1 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
The snake struck and shook its tail to protect itself, releasing its notorious rattle warning.—
Laylan Connelly,
Oc Register,
26 Mar. 2026
-
The death of Rodarte shook the Northern California town of about 12,000, marking the city’s first officer killed in the line of duty in more than a century.—
Jake Goodrick,
Sacbee.com,
26 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
We are jerked between past and present as his backstory gets filled in, one jogged memory at a time.—
Justin Chang,
New Yorker,
13 Mar. 2026
-
Aisha jerked and opened her eyes.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
7 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
My dad glanced behind us once to see if we were being followed, winked at me in the rearview mirror, and then swung our car toward Interstate 80, headed west.—
Zayd Ayers Dohrn,
New Yorker,
28 Mar. 2026
-
Then the pendulum swung and strength training came into vogue in the ’90s and 2000s as more research emerged suggesting that lifting could help improve bone health and prevent osteoporosis, Petrzela says.—
Caitlin Carlson,
SELF,
27 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Wagged.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wagged. Accessed 2 Apr. 2026.
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