1
as in jokes
something said or done to cause laughter
the movie featured a gag involving a chicken driving a car that audiences thought was hysterically funny
Synonyms & Similar Words
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2
as in pranks
a playful or mischievous act intended as a joke
played a gag on their teammate by putting shaving cream in his hat
Synonyms & Similar Words
1
as in vomits
to discharge the contents of the stomach through the mouth
the terrible smell of rotting fish made me gag
Synonyms & Similar Words
2
3
as in quips
to make jokes
the actor typically mugs and gags through his movies, but in his latest vehicle he plays it straight
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of gags
Baz Bamigboye, Deadline, 21 Mar. 2026
One of the better gags of last night’s Academy Awards ceremony came at the very end of the show, even after the Best Picture winners’ speeches.
—Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 16 Mar. 2026
The crowd was raucous with laughter throughout all of the film’s witty dialogue and visual gags, and cheered as the characters realized their goals on screen.
—Selome Hailu, Variety, 13 Mar. 2026
Join the hilarious hunt this Halloween season, where the only thing sharper than Dracula’s fangs are the gags that’ll leave you in stitches.
—Cincinnati Enquirer, 7 Mar. 2026
Packed with gags, this is a fun way to spend an afternoon.
—K. Thor Jensen, PC Magazine, 6 Mar. 2026
Rather than letting the gags flit by quickly, the cast pauses endlessly after each utterance to milk the laughs.
—Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 27 Feb. 2026
The director cleverly dishes out these double meanings from start to finish, fusing the parental experience with tons of gore, hysteria, visual gags and occasional jump scares.
—Jordan Mintzer, HollywoodReporter, 14 Feb. 2026
Running gags include Moses’ age, certain players’ penchant for forgetfulness and star receiver Stefon Diggs’ proclivity for procreation.
—Michael Silver, New York Times, 5 Feb. 2026
Kevin Dolak, HollywoodReporter, 13 Jan. 2026
Some gags land, others don’t, and the script’s sudden bursts of melancholy dependably catch you in the gut.
—Nicholas Quah, Vulture, 9 Sep. 2025
Noun
But what was served up were stale, pale sketches that seemed to have been exhumed from some old codger’s book of gags from 19 bloody 50!
—Baz Bamigboye, Deadline, 21 Mar. 2026
One of the better gags of last night’s Academy Awards ceremony came at the very end of the show, even after the Best Picture winners’ speeches.
—Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 16 Mar. 2026
The crowd was raucous with laughter throughout all of the film’s witty dialogue and visual gags, and cheered as the characters realized their goals on screen.
—Selome Hailu, Variety, 13 Mar. 2026
Join the hilarious hunt this Halloween season, where the only thing sharper than Dracula’s fangs are the gags that’ll leave you in stitches.
—Cincinnati Enquirer, 7 Mar. 2026
Packed with gags, this is a fun way to spend an afternoon.
—K. Thor Jensen, PC Magazine, 6 Mar. 2026
Rather than letting the gags flit by quickly, the cast pauses endlessly after each utterance to milk the laughs.
—Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 27 Feb. 2026
The director cleverly dishes out these double meanings from start to finish, fusing the parental experience with tons of gore, hysteria, visual gags and occasional jump scares.
—Jordan Mintzer, HollywoodReporter, 14 Feb. 2026
Running gags include Moses’ age, certain players’ penchant for forgetfulness and star receiver Stefon Diggs’ proclivity for procreation.
—Michael Silver, New York Times, 5 Feb. 2026
Verb
Speaking with Stern on post-Globes Monday for an episode that aired Tuesday, Glaser shared why gags about the current political climate were absent from the show.
—Kevin Dolak, HollywoodReporter, 13 Jan. 2026
Some gags land, others don’t, and the script’s sudden bursts of melancholy dependably catch you in the gut.
—Nicholas Quah, Vulture, 9 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gags
Noun
-
TikTok Reacts Viewers flooded the comments with theories and jokes.—
Lucy Notarantonio,
MSNBC Newsweek,
31 Mar. 2026
-
On social media, make jokes that don’t follow logic or build toward a punch line, but rather rely on jump cuts and endless captions.—
Emily Menez,
New Yorker,
31 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Folks would dip dresses and suits in glowing, phosphorescent paint and wear them around town performing various pranks or artistic displays.—
Popular Science Team,
Popular Science,
25 Mar. 2026
-
Some in the art world speculate Banksy orchestrated the unmasking himself as a publicity stunt, consistent with his history of subversive pranks and satire.—
Laurie Kellman,
Los Angeles Times,
23 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Shows were led by a sentient wad of meat, a talk-show host who vomits in front of guests, and a reality-TV star who never shows his face.—
Eric Vilas-Boas,
Vulture,
18 Mar. 2026
-
Absinthe-eyed, she projectile-vomits blunt observations and also oysters onto the heavies, overimbibing her way into her own grave once she’s inevitably discarded with a shot and shove down a stairwell (a barely-there John Magaro plays one of the gangsters).—
Ryan Lattanzio,
IndieWire,
4 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Like other invasive plants, stinknet chokes native plants and increases fire risk.—
Shi En Kim,
AZCentral.com,
13 Mar. 2026
-
With fuel and freight prices skyrocketing as war chokes the Strait of Hormuz, the Panama Canal is seeing more business than usual.—
Elizabeth González,
CNN Money,
12 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
The guys hit a Foxwoods, get some laughs, and skip back home.—
Vinson Cunningham,
New Yorker,
29 Mar. 2026
-
Styled like a hyper-sexualized Powerpuff Girl, Cherry is responsible for many of the film’s biggest laughs — and some of its strangest tonal misfires.—
Alison Foreman,
IndieWire,
25 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Tiffany has a few tricks up its sleeve that aren’t jewelry or limited-edition chronograph, one of which is this shapely teapot.—
Nicole Hoey,
Robb Report,
31 Mar. 2026
-
Maybe the tricks learned during this trial can help drivers form some better, cheaper habits to continue when gas prices inevitably decrease again.—
Doug Turnbull,
AJC.com,
29 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Gags.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gags. Accessed 3 Apr. 2026.
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