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
Troy Renck, The Denver Post, 27 Feb. 2025
Owners might also see a tail wag or soft eyes associated with the nose-booping.
—Tom Rogers, Newsweek, 22 Feb. 2025
David Wharton, Los Angeles Times, 4 Mar. 2025
With his eyes glued shut, Ozzy's tail kept wagging back and forth.
—Dan Perry, Newsweek, 28 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for wag
Noun
But come on, don’t take the wag out of the puppy’s tail.
—Troy Renck, The Denver Post, 27 Feb. 2025
Owners might also see a tail wag or soft eyes associated with the nose-booping.
—Tom Rogers, Newsweek, 22 Feb. 2025
Verb
The 3-year-old British Labrador — shiny black, a bit small for her breed — scurries onto the burn site, pushing her nose into piles of ash, moving from one spot to another, wagging her tail the whole time.
—David Wharton, Los Angeles Times, 4 Mar. 2025
With his eyes glued shut, Ozzy's tail kept wagging back and forth.
—Dan Perry, Newsweek, 28 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for wag
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wag
Verb
-
Think chaos theory: a butterfly flaps its wings in Brazil, and a tornado hits Texas.—
Vibhas Ratanjee,
Forbes.com,
9 Apr. 2025
-
Neighbors initially complained about the gunshot-style sound of the flag flapping in the wind and keeping them awake at night.—
David Staats,
Idaho Statesman,
1 Apr. 2025
Verb
-
For once, the friends aren’t breaking down into smaller groups to secretly gossip about one another.—
Alan Sepinwall,
Rolling Stone,
9 Mar. 2025
-
After dinner, gossiping resumes in the galley.—
Rafaela Bassili,
Vulture,
3 Mar. 2025
Verb
-
Symptoms include head bobbing, stargazing, foaming at the mouth, seizures and a loss of motor skills.—
Stacie N. Galang,
USA Today,
18 Apr. 2025
-
The male buffleheads, much brighter than the females, bobbed their heads up and down, touched the water and showed off their spring mating rituals.—
Sheryl De Vore,
Chicago Tribune,
1 Apr. 2025
Verb
-
The Chelsea captain picked out Mac Allister’s darting run, and the Liverpool midfielder flicked the ball cleverly over a desperate Bento.—
Felipe Cardenas,
New York Times,
26 Mar. 2025
-
Masterminded by hairstylist Peter Burkill, a fair few inches have been eliminated from Brown’s mane, leaving her with a thick and voluminous chin-grazing bob that gently flicks inwards towards the ends.—
Ranyechi Udemezue,
Vogue,
26 Mar. 2025
Verb
-
And the volunteer who can’t write a check but has spent every weekend knocking on doors and talking to neighbors about this campaign’s promise of a better future for Fort Worth.—
Harrison Mantas,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
20 Apr. 2025
-
Josh Norris, Bowen Byram and JJ Peterka are among those scheduled to talk to reporters.—
Matthew Fairburn,
New York Times,
19 Apr. 2025
Verb
-
The back-and-forth over tariffs shook confidence in U.S. leadership, exposed fractures within Trump’s team and rattled companies that rely on global sources for products and international customers for sales.—
Time,
Time,
10 Apr. 2025
-
The 31 percent tariff imposed on Switzerland by U.S. President Donald Trump’s new policy has shaken the luxury watch industry.—
Renan Botelho,
Footwear News,
9 Apr. 2025
Verb
-
That ratio is naturally reversed here, though the director drops in a few snippets of the actual team near the beginning and the end, including a grainy, chilling shot of the real Lemons twitching near the ocean floor.—
David Fear,
Rolling Stone,
28 Feb. 2025
-
Kirk says that when a cat experiences changes in air pressure, which can also happen while riding in a car, their ears may move or twitch in response.—
Dan Perry,
Newsweek,
28 Feb. 2025
Verb
-
Sunny expectations for Starlink are one of the main reasons investors have been eager to pump money into SpaceX.—
Danielle Chemtob,
Forbes.com,
9 Apr. 2025
-
In front of the dugout, McKenna raises his right arm and gently pumps a fist towards the Sir Alf Ramsey Stand.—
George Caulkin,
New York Times,
8 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Wag.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wag. Accessed 23 Apr. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share