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.
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Recent Examples of wag
Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 5 Feb. 2026
The real dog sniffed Jennie and gave an approving tail wag.
—Rena Goldman, EverydayHealth.com, 7 Jan. 2026
Helen Branswell, STAT, 14 Apr. 2026
Call it a tail-wagging twist on a classic casting call.
—Brittany Anas, Denver Post, 9 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for wag
Noun
The latest Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue has some wag to it.
—Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 5 Feb. 2026
The real dog sniffed Jennie and gave an approving tail wag.
—Rena Goldman, EverydayHealth.com, 7 Jan. 2026
Verb
Balkhy is also one of the people whose name is mentioned when chins start wagging about who will enter the race to be the next director-general of the WHO.
—Helen Branswell, STAT, 14 Apr. 2026
Call it a tail-wagging twist on a classic casting call.
—Brittany Anas, Denver Post, 9 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for wag
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wag
Verb
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Emery will argue his fine-margins approach, however blunt Villa presently appear in attack, could have been validated if Ollie Watkins’ close-range shot was not straight at Stefan Ortega or if Lucas Digne had not flapped his arms inside the box to give away a penalty.—
Jacob Tanswell,
New York Times,
1 May 2026
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And that jockey was flapping and flapping about the top of his horse, lookin’ like a chicken—elbows jumping this way an’ that, but the horse was spent.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
30 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Of course, no seder would be complete without everyone sitting at the table at the end of the night, totally stuffed and maybe a little tipsy, to chat and gossip about everyday life.—
Jessica Radloff,
Glamour,
24 Apr. 2026
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But for the most part, the ladies will just be themselves, gabbing (and gossiping) away.—
Madeleine Marr,
Miami Herald,
22 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Naval mines bobbing in the waters of the Persian Gulf, threatening oil tankers.—
Jon Gambrell,
Fortune,
24 Apr. 2026
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Here on the shore, overlooking the lighthouse and the harbor’s bobbing boats, partners Claire Hanrahan and Andrew Ainslie’s restaurant is the epitome of laidback chic with its country-kitchen interiors and butter yellow frontage.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
23 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Havertz turned and flicked it to Eze at the edge of the area, who curled home a spectacular finish.—
Mark Carey,
New York Times,
1 May 2026
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Minutes into the execution, the team warden briefly flicked Hitchcock‘s face and yelled his name twice and shook his shoulders.—
Jeffrey Collins,
Sun Sentinel,
30 Apr. 2026
Verb
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But past royal visits to Washington have sometimes gone awry − from amorous muskrats to a talking hat.—
Susan Page,
USA Today,
27 Apr. 2026
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Before talking to the group, McFadden asked them to take a few minutes to interact.—
Steve Sadin,
Chicago Tribune,
27 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Abel made the rounds across the floor, stopping at each booth to greet employees and shake hands with shareholders.—
Yun Li,Alex Harring,Sarah Min,
CNBC,
2 May 2026
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Bake until lemon curd is set but still jiggles slightly when gently shaken, 18–24 minutes.—
Jesse Szewczyk,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
1 May 2026
Verb
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Pebbles twitched, branches waggled, cholla wiggled, weeds erupted then dried up and died.—
Alina Hartounian,
NPR,
20 Apr. 2026
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The launch can also be viewed on NASA's social media platforms include Facebook, twitch and X as well as NASA+, the agency's streaming service.—
Mary Kekatos,
ABC News,
30 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The prosecutor said Chairez-Campos pumped multiple rounds into the unarmed victim’s body before making a move to flee and then returning to shoot him one more time in the head, Gennawey said.—
City News Service,
Oc Register,
25 Apr. 2026
-
Radiation pumped into the night sky.—
Lizzie Johnson,
New Yorker,
25 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Wag.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wag. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
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