gab

1 of 3

verb

ˈgab

gabbed; gabbing

Synonyms of gab

intransitive verb

: to talk in a rapid or thoughtless manner : chatter

gabber noun

gab

2 of 3

Examples of gab in a Sentence

Verb spent the time she should have been working gabbing with friends instead Noun (1) a car salesman with the proverbial gift for gab

Recent Examples on the Web

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.

Verb

Ahead of the audiobook’s May 7 release, and a promotional tour that Wilson admitted is poised to put their love of chat to the ultimate test, the authors spoke to The Hollywood Reporter about all things gab. —Seija Rankin, The Hollywood Reporter, 3 Sep. 2019

Trump’s tendency to gab meant that minimizing his time on the witness stand was a no-brainer. —John Cassidy, The New Yorker, 12 Dec. 2023 The series mimics the formula of most wellness podcasts—each episode features a topic such as skin care or sleep, and the hosts gab about various products—but the conversation takes sudden digressions, plumbing the ways in which a mind, addled by the industry, struggles to know peace. —Rachel Syme, The New Yorker, 22 Mar. 2021 And right in the middle is Piano’s architectural intimation of what a museum is for: The entire building is organized around a soaring central courtyard with a smattering of cafe tables, where students and locals alike study, work, or gab happily in a cool wash of daylight pouring in from above. —Murray Whyte, BostonGlobe.com, 6 May 2022 On the show, Phil and his co-hosts gab in crisp accents about pawn sacrifices and variations on the Sicilian Defense with the rowdy bonhomie of lads closing down a pub. —Rachel Syme, The New Yorker, 13 July 2022 But a backyard chat or gab through gridlock won’t offer the kind of help many individuals need. —Washington Post, 5 May 2022 Of course, there’s a lot more to gab about this week than inspirational sports stories, so read on. —Los Angeles Times, 27 Aug. 2021

Noun

The first without the second risks turning the board into a gab session of conceptual ideas that never gain traction. —Doug Sundheim, Forbes, 8 Mar. 2025 As Margot departs, Jim turns his attention back to Jenni and gabs about a former coworker named Dave, who recently lost 100 pounds. —Jessica Wang, EW.com, 28 Jan. 2025 As Eden gabs, the pair inch across and climb over rows in search of maximum comfort and no moisture. —Lovia Gyarkye, The Hollywood Reporter, 10 Mar. 2024 Writers tend to have a gift for writing but not for gab. —Neal B. Freeman, National Review, 18 Jan. 2024 Throw in Howell-Baptiste’s very funny loquacious gab, Arterton’s enigmatic iciness, Elgar’s deliciously off-kilter viciousness and a believably raw turn from Abboud and there’s a good core here, one diminished by the strained logic as the series progresses. —Daniel Fienberg, The Hollywood Reporter, 7 Dec. 2023 The world of Dashiell Hammett and Raymond Chandler, the pulps Ellroy loved as a child, and his own private California are distilled into a gab, a grammar for brutality, shame, misogyny, and unresolved mourning. —Parul Sehgal, The New Yorker, 11 Sep. 2023 The two gab away while Kris measures, shakes and spears the ingredients. —Sam Burros, Peoplemag, 26 June 2023 That’s when the two men with gifts for gab on top of gab began crossing paths. —Brent Zwerneman, ExpressNews.com, 22 Dec. 2020

Word History

Etymology

Verb

of uncertain origin

Note: Perhaps continuing a divergent sense of Middle English gabben "to speak mockingly, scoff, tell lies" (borrowed from Anglo-French gaber "to mock, sneer at," ultimately from Old Norse gabba) if occurrences in Chaucer, perhaps meaning "to speak foolishly, talk nonsense," are the same verb. However, the scarcity of attestation between Chaucer and the 18th century, when gab appears in Scots, suggests that Modern English gab is a new onomatopoeic formation, akin to gabble.

Noun (1)

derivative of gab entry 1

Noun (2)

by shortening

First Known Use

Verb

1786, in the meaning defined above

Noun (1)

1761, in the meaning defined above

Noun (2)

1939, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler

The first known use of gab was in 1761

See more words from the same year

Browse Nearby Words

GAAP

gab

GABA

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Gab.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gab. Accessed 24 Mar. 2025.

Copy Citation

Kids Definition

gab

verb

ˈgab

gabbed; gabbing

: to talk idly : chatter

gab noun

gabber noun

gab

verb

noun (1)

noun (2)

Synonyms

Examples of gab in a Sentence

Word History

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Kids Definition

More from Merriam-Webster on gab

More from Merriam-Webster

Can you solve 4 words at once?

Can you solve 4 words at once?

Word of the Day

garble

Popular in Grammar & Usage

The Difference Between 'i.e.' and 'e.g.'

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

More Commonly Misspelled Words

Popular in Wordplay

What do SCOTUS, POTUS, and FLOTUS mean?

Flower Etymologies For Your Spring Garden

More Words with Remarkable Origins

Terroir, Oenophile, & Magnum: Ten Words About Wine

8 Words for Lesser-Known Musical Instruments

Popular Features

The Difference Between 'i.e.' and 'e.g.'

What do SCOTUS, POTUS, and FLOTUS mean?

Flower Etymologies For Your Spring Garden

Games & Quizzes

gab

verb

noun (1)

noun (2)

Synonyms

Examples of gab in a Sentence

Word History

Phrases Containing gab

Rhymes for gab

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Share

Kids Definition

More from Merriam-Webster on gab

More from Merriam-Webster

Can you solve 4 words at once?

Can you solve 4 words at once?

Word of the Day

garble

Popular in Grammar & Usage

The Difference Between 'i.e.' and 'e.g.'

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

More Commonly Misspelled Words

Popular in Wordplay

What do SCOTUS, POTUS, and FLOTUS mean?

Flower Etymologies For Your Spring Garden

More Words with Remarkable Origins

Terroir, Oenophile, & Magnum: Ten Words About Wine

8 Words for Lesser-Known Musical Instruments

Popular Features

The Difference Between 'i.e.' and 'e.g.'

What do SCOTUS, POTUS, and FLOTUS mean?

Flower Etymologies For Your Spring Garden

Games & Quizzes