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
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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
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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
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Examples Sentences
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Recent Examples of wag
Laura Daniella Sepulveda, The Arizona Republic, 30 Jan. 2024
By now my heart was beating faster than the wag of Walter’s tail, as Jackie reached for her purse and took out the phone.
—Laura Black, Baltimore Sun, 2 Apr. 2024
Jordan Crucchiola, Vulture, 12 Aug. 2024
Kimmel pointed out that Trump’s director of communications was quick to put a spin on the campaign moment, which has tongues wagging about the candidate’s mental health and cognitive abilities.
—Kevin Dolak, The Hollywood Reporter, 16 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for wag 
Noun
However, once freed, Nova quickly turned into a wiggly, happy girl with endless tail wags.
—Laura Daniella Sepulveda, The Arizona Republic, 30 Jan. 2024
By now my heart was beating faster than the wag of Walter’s tail, as Jackie reached for her purse and took out the phone.
—Laura Black, Baltimore Sun, 2 Apr. 2024
Verb
Colin the Janitor crawling down a hallway with his black tongue wagging at a cowering woman, and the true image of hell incarnate, Pyramid Head, literally ripping the skin suit off of live bodies should shake you to your core.
—Jordan Crucchiola, Vulture, 12 Aug. 2024
Kimmel pointed out that Trump’s director of communications was quick to put a spin on the campaign moment, which has tongues wagging about the candidate’s mental health and cognitive abilities.
—Kevin Dolak, The Hollywood Reporter, 16 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for wag
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wag
Verb
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Using a pair of Joy-Con controllers (the gyroscope-enabled snap-on bits of a Nintendo Switch), players must physically flap their arms to ascend and tilt the controllers to steer.Christopher Cruz, Rolling Stone, 17 Oct. 2024
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His bioluminescent wings seemed to have been caught flapping in this beat between time.Jerry Saltz, Vulture, 18 Oct. 2024
Verb
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At the office, everyone is gossiping about the new hire: Genevieve.Jessica M. Goldstein, Vulture, 12 Sep. 2024
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Social media has fuelled our ability to gossip and our sense of entitlement to comment on the lives of others.Tanyel Mustafa, refinery29.com, 5 Sep. 2024
Verb
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More than 1 million people visit the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden each year to see the hippos bob in and out of clear water, hear gibbons howl above the treetops, smell the elephants covered in dirt.Bebe Hodges, The Enquirer, 27 Oct. 2024
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The flood submerged their street, transforming trees into islands and leaving cars bobbing in several feet of water.Mackenzie Happe and Zoë Todd, CNN, 26 Oct. 2024
Verb
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Other horror flicks for the actress included 1933’s The Vampire Bat and Mystery of the Wax Museum and 1934’s Black Moon.Victoria Edel, People.com, 31 Oct. 2024
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There are two other Christmasy flicks coming to the platform that holiday hounds will want to keep tabs on.Ryan Coleman, EW.com, 22 Oct. 2024
Verb
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LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers talks to his son, Bronny James #9, during a timeout of their preseason game against the Golden State Warriors at Chase Center on Oct. 18, 2024 in San Francisco.Rohan Nadkarni, NBC News, 7 Nov. 2024
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The speculation was first reported by Miss Tweed, a luxury news outlet that LVMH patriarch Bernard Arnault banned his staff from talking to earlier this year.Prarthana Prakash, Fortune Europe, 5 Nov. 2024
Verb
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Over the next few years, a plague of disorder will descend upon America, and maybe the world, shaking everything loose.David Brooks, The Mercury News, 9 Nov. 2024
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Maybe that’s why World Cups end with the two teams shaking hands, one offering congratulations and the other condolences, and elections don’t.Kevin Baxter, Los Angeles Times, 5 Nov. 2024
Verb
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Fans especially loved when Samantha would wrinkle her nose and twitch, activating her magic.Angela Andaloro, People.com, 22 Oct. 2024
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Signs that your pup is in their REM phase of sleep include paw twitching, change in breathing, eye flickering, whimpering, barking, body twitching, and tail swishing.Gordon G. Chang, Newsweek, 1 Nov. 2024
Verb
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To complete her look, Hilton Rothschild accessorized with a matching pillbox hat, dainty earrings and a diamond necklace, along with a shimmering silver handbag and pumps with crystal details.Maggie Clancy, WWD, 5 Nov. 2024
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With straight-leg jeans and leather shoes—like loafers, ballet flats, or pumps—they’re a textured alternative to the thinner, quieter knits in your fall capsule.Jake Henry Smith, Glamour, 4 Nov. 2024
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Cite this Entry
“Wag.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wag. Accessed 22 Nov. 2024.
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