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
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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
David Fear, Rolling Stone, 2 Mar. 2026
The latest Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue has some wag to it.
—Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 5 Feb. 2026
ABC News, 22 Apr. 2026
Jake is wagging his tail and headed toward the door.
—Laura Trujillo, USA Today, 15 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for wag
Noun
Many critics, political pundits, and wags asked, somewhat rhetorically, whether anyone in the administration recalls how handing the responsibility of nuclear weaponry over to machines turned out in the Terminator movies.
—David Fear, Rolling Stone, 2 Mar. 2026
The latest Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue has some wag to it.
—Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 5 Feb. 2026
Verb
Díaz disagreed, wagging his figure at the flag-bearer, and a VAR check confirmed Bayern could begin the celebrations.
—ABC News, 22 Apr. 2026
Jake is wagging his tail and headed toward the door.
—Laura Trujillo, USA Today, 15 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for wag
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wag
Noun
-
Under the flaps of his jacket there was a small tear in his T-shirt, directly over his left nipple, which protruded like a knot of purple rope.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
14 May 2026
-
Just about the most-surprising thing that happened during our ordeal was that the wolves came up to our very tent flap every night in spite of the dreadful weather.—
Ben East,
Outdoor Life,
14 May 2026
Noun
-
Club Kid, arguably the festival’s hottest title in terms of commercial potential, comes from Jordan Firstman, a comedian who built his following through viral Instagram skits during the pandemic before crossing over into features.—
Scott Roxborough,
HollywoodReporter,
17 May 2026
-
The National Comedy Center in Jamestown, New York, announced last week that the Oscar-winning filmmaker and comedian has donated a major collection of previously unseen documents and photographs to the museum.—
Francie Ebert,
NBC news,
17 May 2026
Verb
-
Leeds wing-back James Justin was ready to direct a header past Kinsky but Kevin Danso just managed to flick the ball out of his path.—
Beren Cross,
New York Times,
11 May 2026
-
The dragons stalk the island, flicking their huge tongues in hopes of picking up the scent of a deer, wild boar, or water buffalo — the latter two species introduced by humans — or rodents and other smaller reptiles, including baby Komodo dragons.—
Craig Stanford,
Big Think,
7 May 2026
Verb
-
The column gossiped about which journalists and pundits did not pass the new purity test.—
Gideon Lewis-Kraus,
New Yorker,
7 May 2026
-
What does a gossiping coffee do?—
Hallie Milstein,
Southern Living,
2 May 2026
Verb
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Two of them were bobbing a couple steps ahead for most of the 3,200-meter state championship race Thursday at Jeffco Stadium.—
Bennett Durando,
Denver Post,
15 May 2026
-
The Ocean Cleanup’s Interceptor 007 floats quietly at the mouth of Ballona Creek, gently bobbing with the tide.—
Scotty Reiss,
Forbes.com,
14 May 2026
Noun
-
Yeah, there was a twitch going on there.—
Anne Thompson,
IndieWire,
19 May 2026
-
Also, in a game that requires the quick twitch of athleticism, Kobe Bryant, post-surgically repaired Achilles, never looked the same while languishing on a Lakers team that never won more than 27 games in his final three years.—
Candace Buckner,
New York Times,
14 May 2026
Verb
-
When Bz points north, Earth’s field resists it; when Bz swings south, the two fields connect, allowing plasma to stream in.—
Jamie Carter,
Forbes.com,
15 May 2026
-
In a matter of hours, the South Korean Kospi swung from a fresh record high, above the 8,000 milestone, to a 6% loss.—
Katie Foley,
CNBC,
15 May 2026
Verb
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Thankfully, Kristine Froseth adds pep as a bimbo who hasn’t yet learned how to talk as leadenly as everyone else.—
Amy Nicholson,
Los Angeles Times,
19 May 2026
-
At many such events in the past, people seated near me have talked throughout the concert.—
Maggie Penman,
Washington Post,
19 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Wag.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wag. Accessed 22 May. 2026.
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