1
as in flapping
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
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2
as in gossiping
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
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Recent Examples of wagging
Tongues set to wagging about whether the iconic bad boss at its center was really based on legendary Vogue editor Anna Wintour — in some circles, anyway.
—
Staff Author, PEOPLE, 30 Apr. 2026
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
The video footage Koch shared on Instagram captures every tail-wagging second of the homecoming.
—Samantha Agate, Kansas City Star, 14 Apr. 2026
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
This might threaten unrelieved angst weighing down a 90-minute drama, or, maybe worse, a didactic, finger-wagging life lesson lecture.
—Christopher Smith, Oc Register, 7 Apr. 2026
In a brief closeup from an earlier tournament game, Mara was shown wagging his tongue in celebration … or was that in revenge?
—Los Angeles Times, 7 Apr. 2026
Staff Author, PEOPLE, 30 Apr. 2026
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
The video footage Koch shared on Instagram captures every tail-wagging second of the homecoming.
—Samantha Agate, Kansas City Star, 14 Apr. 2026
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
This might threaten unrelieved angst weighing down a 90-minute drama, or, maybe worse, a didactic, finger-wagging life lesson lecture.
—Christopher Smith, Oc Register, 7 Apr. 2026
In a brief closeup from an earlier tournament game, Mara was shown wagging his tongue in celebration … or was that in revenge?
—Los Angeles Times, 7 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wagging
Verb
-
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
-
Smaller birds darted around, their small wings flapping rapidly.—
Emily Holshouser,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
21 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
What does a gossiping coffee do?—
Hallie Milstein,
Southern Living,
2 May 2026
-
But for the most part, the ladies will just be themselves, gabbing (and gossiping) away.—
Madeleine Marr,
Miami Herald,
22 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Naval mines bobbing in the waters of the Persian Gulf, threatening oil tankers.—
Jon Gambrell,
Fortune,
24 Apr. 2026
-
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
-
This could be the bookworm equivalent of jet setting, perhaps—seeking out the places we’re taken to while flicking the pages.—
Connor Sturges,
Condé Nast Traveler,
27 Apr. 2026
-
Edmundson, who’d lost MacKinnon on his first goal, atoned by receiving Kempe’s pass in the high slot and flicking a shot that clipped Wedgewood on its way into the net.—
Andrew Knoll,
Daily News,
26 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Pharoah, best known for being a cast member of Saturday Night Live between 2010-2016, had been talking to Fox for a while about hosting a show.—
Peter White,
Deadline,
4 May 2026
-
Barack Obama liked talking to The New Yorker’s David Remnick.—
Max Tani,
semafor.com,
4 May 2026
Verb
-
The hearts of these sharks showed severe fibrosis, which happens when scar tissue accumulates and causes stiffness that can impair pumping over time, the researchers wrote.—
Jeanna Bryner,
Scientific American,
4 May 2026
-
The Royals were down to their final two outs in the top of the ninth inning, with tough closer Andres Munoz pumping high-velocity fastballs on the mound.—
Jaylon Thompson
May 3,
Kansas City Star,
3 May 2026
Verb
-
Curry’s body began convulsing and twitching with increasing severity, consistent with him sustaining a traumatic brain injury from being punched in the face, documents state.—
Deborah Laverty,
Chicago Tribune,
29 Mar. 2026
-
Afternoon Ben Thanh Market is Hồ Chí Minh’s biggest market – a vast maze of 1,500 stalls selling everything from still-twitching fish to electronics and souvenirs.—
Tamara Hinson,
Condé Nast Traveler,
27 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
This is the kind of car that would be a treat to see stateside – and likely one that will have American automakers shaking in their boots.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
2 May 2026
-
Redick said, when going back into the rolodex of his career, that shaking off the rust – as Reaves is doing right now – can have different results depending on the scenario.—
Benjamin Royer,
Oc Register,
2 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Wagging.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wagging. Accessed 6 May. 2026.
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