gag

1 of 2

verb

gagged; gagging

transitive verb

1
a
: to restrict use of the mouth of by inserting something into it to prevent speech or outcry
b
: to prevent from exercising freedom of speech or expression
trying to gag the press
legally gagged from discussing the case
c
: to pry or hold open with a gag
2
: to provide or write quips or pranks for
gag a show
3
: to choke or cause to retch

intransitive verb

1
a
: choke
also : to suffer a throat spasm that makes swallowing or breathing difficult
b
: retch
2
: to be unable to endure something : balk
The boys gagged at all the kissing and goo-goo eyes.
3
: to make quips
gagger noun

gag

2 of 2

noun

1
: something thrust into the mouth to keep it open or to prevent speech or outcry
2
: an official check or restraint on debate or free speech
a gag rule
3
: a laugh-provoking remark or act
4

Examples of gag in a Sentence

Verb The government is trying to gag the press. the terrible smell of rotting fish made me gag Noun The movie relies on simpleminded gags for laughs. They hid his clothes as a gag. They tied up the hostages and put gags in their mouths. The government is trying to put a gag on the press.
Recent Examples on the Web
Verb
Mooney’s body was found inside a refrigerator, with wrists and ankles bound and her mouth gagged, according to an autopsy report by the L.A. County medical examiner. Summer Lin, Los Angeles Times, 23 Feb. 2024 His son had a dog, a black Labrador mix, who developed respiratory symptoms, constant coughing that turned to choking and gagging. Detroit Free Press, 22 Feb. 2024 Sunny Hostin just gagged Alyssa Farah Griffin with The View cohost's own political history. Joey Nolfi, EW.com, 9 Feb. 2024 The courtroom photos and evidence were so graphic and jolting at times that jurors, observers and even the defense attorney nearly gagged. Andrew J. Campa, Los Angeles Times, 31 Jan. 2024 The always intentional Knowles will surely leave fans gagged if her latest will be transformed into a visual concept album. Shelby Stewart, Essence, 14 Jan. 2024 Advertisement Garnett experimented with gagging sounds to heighten the misery of the moment. Stuart Miller, Los Angeles Times, 4 Jan. 2024 One is over the D.C. federal court and the New York civil fraud trial court gagging Trump from discussing the cases. Dan McLaughlin, National Review, 19 Dec. 2023 Garnett foreshadowed the main event by shivering, shuddering and almost gagging in earlier scenes. Stuart Miller, Los Angeles Times, 4 Jan. 2024
Noun
Not surprisingly given the film’s below-the-belt bent, a circumcision gag follows, while Rod has to vamp his way through all the fabulous attributes the trio have ascribed to Stanicky through the years. Brian Lowry, CNN, 6 Mar. 2024 The best gag comes when Po tiptoes through a rooftop of napping Komodo dragons, desperate to stay quiet. Amy Nicholson, Washington Post, 6 Mar. 2024 Now, rather than embarrassing participants, Stewart’s gags show off the power of the mind. Emily Latimer, Longreads, 25 Jan. 2024 The gag reel shows off the bond between Larson and Vellani, whose Ms. Marvel character is depicted as a major fan of Captain Marvel. Tommy McArdle, Peoplemag, 11 Jan. 2024 From lipomas and cysts to keloids and tumors, Lee tackles them all with professionalism and a seemingly imperturbable gag reflex. Briana Richert, James Mercadante, EW.com, 19 Feb. 2024 Still, there are a few good gags in this one, plus plenty of trippy, artfully rendered VFX by Hugues Namur (Asterix & Obelix: The Middle Kingdom), who fuses historic French architecture, including the entire Chateau de Versailles, with futuristic technology to create his intergalactic fleet. Jordan Mintzer, The Hollywood Reporter, 18 Feb. 2024 But there are less cheerful potential ramifications of choosing to use ccTLDs, whether as a gag or some other reason. Wes Davis, The Verge, 12 Feb. 2024 The running gag of that book was applying Victorian diction and prejudices to high-tech things. Matteo Wong, The Atlantic, 6 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'gag.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English gaggen "to strangle," of imitative origin

Noun

derivative of gag entry 1

First Known Use

Verb

1509, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

Noun

1530, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of gag was in 1509

Dictionary Entries Near gag

Cite this Entry

“Gag.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gag. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

gag

1 of 2 verb
gagged; gagging
1
: to prevent from speaking or crying out by or as if by stopping up the mouth
2
a
: to vomit or cause to feel like vomiting
3
: to be unable to endure something : balk
4
: to tell jokes

gag

2 of 2 noun
1
a
: something thrust into the mouth especially to prevent speech or outcry
b
: a check to free speech
2
: something said or done to cause laughter
3
: prank

More from Merriam-Webster on gag

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